I've been hit !

Don S/V ILLusion · Dec 9, 2009

Sorry to hear about the accident but if it was going to happen, better now than in the spring. Get your own survey of the damage rather than rely upon an insurance company to do it. Simultaneously decide who will be doing the repairs and have them also provide you with a written estimate. I have no experience with BoatUS but would assume they would have you go through the trucker's underwriter or subrogate the claim so you should not incur any deductible cost.

Also, don't ever accept or agree to a payment in full payment until the work is complete.

Stu Jackson · Dec 9, 2009

Relax, BoatUS is about the best you can get. They will understand the difference between boats & trucks, some other insurance companies might not.

Your deductible I can't tell you, they will, but Don explained it well.

bffatcat · Dec 9, 2009

truck hits boat

Seems to me this is a motor vehicle accident where the truck is at fault. I would contact the
Trucks insurance co. Motor vehicle insurance co are used to these kind of claims. U were able to obtain the Trucks insurance info I hope. Or was this a hit and run. You didnt say.
Unfortunately if it was your probably going to have to pay the deductible

cephius (Dave) · Dec 9, 2009

I've also had great experience with BoatUS.

I had a slow leak somewhere on my Catalina 22. I contacted them and arranged for their underwriter to meet me at the shipyard. By the time we arrived the yard had located the problem, loose swing keel attachment bolts, and corrected the problem. They even had the invoice ready for me.

With no underwriter's estimate prior to the work, I couldn't submit a claim. The cost was small and my boat was no longer leaking, so I was willing to absorb it.

BoatUS paid 50% of it under the "Protecting the Value" clause usually associated with miscellaneous search and rescue fees. That was very close to what I would have received on a claim with my deductible.

BoatUS volunteered this when they were under no obligation to pay anything. They felt bad that the yard acted against my instructions by not waiting for the underwriter. (Lift became available sooner than expected. Problem easy to fix and clear the lift again.) I had communicated with BoatUS at every stage and that communication paid off.

Ross · Dec 9, 2009

Your boat was damaged by others. This is no different than if this had been your house or car parked in a parking lot. Contact a lawyer and don't fool around with claims adjusters. You have a legal right to be made whole. The lawyer can collect his/her fees from the other party.

Steve Dion · Dec 9, 2009

BoatUS is a great company, but it is not their liability. It belongs to the yard and the truck that hit the boat.

The good thing about fiberglass is that it can be fixed and you will never know that it happened if it is done correctly.

Letting BoatUS know about the accident is the first step. Then getting everyone on the same page and getting it fixed in a timely manner is next. Be sure that the area get wrapped to prevent water/snow infiltration. Otherwise you can end up with mold, mildew and other interior damage

Ralph18422 · Dec 9, 2009

Don't assume

I was hit this spring in my slip while I wasn't there. I thought it was cut and dry. Nope. Get a police report. Get eyewitness statements, all the info you can. I ended up paying my $2000 deductible, expecting the other boaters insurance to reimburse me. Nope. They are claiming partial fault since my boat does not fit within the posts and was sticking out, like several other boats in the harbour. My insurance company paid for the repairs quickly and tried to fight with the other insurance company but $10000 isn't worth much of a fight to them. My only recourse now is small claims court. Don't assume anything! Get as much written down as you can.

TimCup · Dec 9, 2009

Ralph- that's crazy.

Hitting a parked boat is no different than hitting a parked car. An object at rest can't act contrary or unsafe.

just when I think lawyers do nothing but inflate claims, I hear about an insurance co that tries that crap... they deserve to get sued. And lose. And pay additional damages for illegal business practices.

How do I get down from this soapbox?!?

cup

Stu Jackson · Dec 9, 2009

Tim, it's insane

I got hit by a smaller boat coming out of a side fairway when we were coming down the main fairway. He shot out so fast from behind a big power boat that I didn't see him coming from the starboard side of our boat and he ended up hitting our PORT bow! He agreed he was at fault in all the write ups and descriptions. They still took it out of MY insurance policy, both of us were with BoatUS. I didn't pay anything, as I recall, but that was their decision. I filed a letter of complaint for the record with them, just in case I get dinged in the future. Otherwise, they did OK by me.

Bad Obsession · Dec 9, 2009

It should be up to the Truck's insurance company to fix your boat and make it the way it was before the crash.

One of my LE specialities is Crash Reconstruction. There is no such thing as an accident because an accident denotes that there is no fault. This was a motor vehicle crash and the guy damaged unattended property. If it is a boat, house, mailbox, tree, or anything, the other person is responsible for the damages. Insurance companies will try to give you a settlement check and do the right thing, but by law you should be able to choose who does the repairs and make sure that the repairs are done right by the person doing them. I would require the insurance company to do a survey before the work is done and a survey after the work is done. The primary survey will give you an idea of the extent of the damage and the secondary survey will make sure that the damage has been repaired properly and it is documented.

Tom · Dec 9, 2009

Pat, are

you at great lakes?

Tom
s/v GAIA

zeehag · Dec 9, 2009

at least ye know who it was hit ye--where i am no one sees no one hears --ye just get HIT usually by a snot clubbie who isnt as good as he thinks he is at the helm ...for real.and we get no remuneration or concern or respect--i have my boats on moorings LOL.....goood luck and best wishes on a goood fix......

dserrell · Dec 9, 2009

Our sailboat was scratched by 16' hard dinghy while we were in Key West, FL. We had the Florida Wildlife Commission make a report and we were told if the damage is less than $2,000 its a civil matter. The damage was much less than $2,000. We didn't even attempt to send a bill to the owner of the dinghy. He was one of those boaters who could care less, and pursuing a civil matter in court would be much more time and expense than the cost to repair the damage. We just hope there isn't a next time! Fair weather!

David

higgs · Dec 10, 2009

Larsons is probably a good place to start. Racine Riverside might also be able to give you some names of some independent guys who could do the work.

Bad Obsession · Dec 14, 2009

Pat......You are a lucky man. It sounds like everything is going to be good and in your favor in the end. Since it happened during the off season it is a minor thing since you probably won't miss any sailing time.

Keith E · Dec 14, 2009

Pat

I was at the harbor yesterday and it looks like the damage is pretty minor. I did notice that the boat was sitting slightly heeled on the cradle. If it was level when it was stored I would have the surveyor check the keel to hull joint for hairline cracks. Also as you have a wing keel have it checked for damage. If the boat did move it would have slid the keel over against the cradle center plate.

Probably none of the above applies but better to find out now.

Keith

NotCook · Dec 14, 2009

He shot out so fast...

Stu Jackson said:
He shot out so fast from behind a big power boat that I didn't see him coming from the starboard side of our boat and he ended up hitting our PORT bow!

A no wake zone also, I presume...

I've been hit !

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