But this was the claim that topped them all. I got a call from one of the overnight marine wonder insurance companies. You know the ones with cheapest premiums, no survey no questions asked. This guy calls telling me he is the Claims Manager and ihe’s got a wind loss in Exeter, R I where a tree fell on a stored boat. I never worked with this unnamed company or heard of this “ Marine Claims Manager “. Normally I get an assignment with a follow up fax with insured name, address and contact info plus the vessel’s year model, ID and insured value, called a ‘ Declaration Page ‘ in the business. He sent me only the insured info ? I called him back asking for more info and he pushed back telling me I didn’t need it since when I see the boat I’ll have all the info I need. I’m told firmly to just inspect the damage, take lots of photos and report back with my preliminary findings and what’s it going to take to repair. I say, well if I know the value and it’s a heavy loss don’t you want to know if it’s a possible CTL. Listen Mr. Surveyor, just do what I ask and we’ll get along fine. I should have declined the job right then but I needed to get down to the South shore of MA to inspect some repairs so I stayed with it
Two days later I meet with the insured at his lovely little gentleman’s style farm. I’d never been anywhere near this part of RI and I was impressed. Anyway the boat was a 1988 Catalina 34 that appeared to be well cared for and was under a full Winter cover. A large White oak next to it had dropped a large 8-10” diameter branch through the cover into the cockpit. It had pushed the steering pedestal through the sole and more or less crushed the sole both cockpit lockers, the port and starboard coamings and of course stanchions. The deck appeared fine and even the companionway hatch and boards were unmarked. By flashlight I could see the water lift muffler was probably broken and guessing the steering cables and quadrant were toast. Took lots of photos and measurements wrote it up and then hit the ground to see if the jackstands had fractured the hull skin or impact load on the keel and hull. Nothing
Called Mr. Claims Manager from the car telling him repairs would be beyond the hull’s value regardless of insured value. He straighten me out by telling me I didn’t know the insured value so such advice was beyond my job description. I politely explained I have a pretty good idea what a 1988 Catalina is worth as they are very common and my background gave me a good idea on the scope of repairs and apprx cost. In a salty tone he asked me if I was a licensed boat repair contractor ? Then told me don’t concern myself about this and get Prelim Report to him quickly. Faxed him the report with emailed photos that night around 8:00 PM. Half hour later he calls me — what the hell, why is he working at night ?
The subsequent conversation went like this and it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced or heard of since. This claims expert asked me if these Catalina’s were mass produced and would I know how many were built ?I told him yes on the first and over 1000 on the second question. Then he catches me totally off guard when he tells to get your “ Flat Rate Manual “ and get me some prices for a new cockpit. What did you say I responded ? There is no such thing as a boat Flat Rate Manual for boat repairs I told him and he tells me that most states require them and all insurance companies. So I ask him if he had one and he said of course and that he was Certified Repair Tech. I told him I didn’t have such a thing but gave him the vessels specs and HIN number and ask him to look up the repair cost as I was really curious. He said he’d call me in the morning with repair costs, that if this was a “licensed boat builder” and they made a lot of these boats he could find a flat rate for replacing the cockpit. I was dumbfounded and told him I look forward to the call.
Next afternoon he leaves me a message so when I got a chance I called him. He couldnt find a cockpit replacement cost and alluded to an opinion that maybe Catalina wasn’t big enough to supply the information. He then asks me to contact Catalina and get a quote for replacing the cockpit that since it’s a molded part for one of their boats they must be able to comply. This was over the line as far as I was concerned and I told him I couldn’t and wouldn’t call Catalina with such absurd request. I had no desire to make a fool of myself and he then told me to send him a bill for my time and he would call a competent surveyor to handle this claim. A couple of weeks later I ran into a fellow surveyor in Barrington, RI and he knew this guy and filled me in on his background. He managed two body shops and did indeed do fiberglass repairs on small boats and got this position by selling this insurance company on reducing repair and claims costs.
Rick
Two days later I meet with the insured at his lovely little gentleman’s style farm. I’d never been anywhere near this part of RI and I was impressed. Anyway the boat was a 1988 Catalina 34 that appeared to be well cared for and was under a full Winter cover. A large White oak next to it had dropped a large 8-10” diameter branch through the cover into the cockpit. It had pushed the steering pedestal through the sole and more or less crushed the sole both cockpit lockers, the port and starboard coamings and of course stanchions. The deck appeared fine and even the companionway hatch and boards were unmarked. By flashlight I could see the water lift muffler was probably broken and guessing the steering cables and quadrant were toast. Took lots of photos and measurements wrote it up and then hit the ground to see if the jackstands had fractured the hull skin or impact load on the keel and hull. Nothing
Called Mr. Claims Manager from the car telling him repairs would be beyond the hull’s value regardless of insured value. He straighten me out by telling me I didn’t know the insured value so such advice was beyond my job description. I politely explained I have a pretty good idea what a 1988 Catalina is worth as they are very common and my background gave me a good idea on the scope of repairs and apprx cost. In a salty tone he asked me if I was a licensed boat repair contractor ? Then told me don’t concern myself about this and get Prelim Report to him quickly. Faxed him the report with emailed photos that night around 8:00 PM. Half hour later he calls me — what the hell, why is he working at night ?
The subsequent conversation went like this and it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced or heard of since. This claims expert asked me if these Catalina’s were mass produced and would I know how many were built ?I told him yes on the first and over 1000 on the second question. Then he catches me totally off guard when he tells to get your “ Flat Rate Manual “ and get me some prices for a new cockpit. What did you say I responded ? There is no such thing as a boat Flat Rate Manual for boat repairs I told him and he tells me that most states require them and all insurance companies. So I ask him if he had one and he said of course and that he was Certified Repair Tech. I told him I didn’t have such a thing but gave him the vessels specs and HIN number and ask him to look up the repair cost as I was really curious. He said he’d call me in the morning with repair costs, that if this was a “licensed boat builder” and they made a lot of these boats he could find a flat rate for replacing the cockpit. I was dumbfounded and told him I look forward to the call.
Next afternoon he leaves me a message so when I got a chance I called him. He couldnt find a cockpit replacement cost and alluded to an opinion that maybe Catalina wasn’t big enough to supply the information. He then asks me to contact Catalina and get a quote for replacing the cockpit that since it’s a molded part for one of their boats they must be able to comply. This was over the line as far as I was concerned and I told him I couldn’t and wouldn’t call Catalina with such absurd request. I had no desire to make a fool of myself and he then told me to send him a bill for my time and he would call a competent surveyor to handle this claim. A couple of weeks later I ran into a fellow surveyor in Barrington, RI and he knew this guy and filled me in on his background. He managed two body shops and did indeed do fiberglass repairs on small boats and got this position by selling this insurance company on reducing repair and claims costs.
Rick
