Insurance claim on another boater’s insurance

[scbruet]

Appreciate any advice you guys would have on this situation.......
Luckily, everyone in this story was completely fine and nobody had any injuries. I was on my Mother’s pontoon boat with the engine off on a small private lake in Pennsylvania, just enjoying the sun. She has a summer cottage there that I visit a lot and had some friends over. We had 4 people on the boat, and we were near the middle of the lake, stationary, with the engine off. There was only 1 other boater on the lake and he had 4 people in his boat and he pulling 2 children in a tube. Well, he had his head turned around staring at the tubers for way too long , while he was turning his boat, and drilled our stern going 30-35 mph. Everybody is ok, it’s a miracle. Super scary though.

So I called the police, got his insurance, filed a claim through his yesterday , he has travelers. I sent the adjuster pictures of the damage , and I’m assuming they will come out soon to see it. We sent pictures to a Bentley dealer and they said it’s totaled. It’s a 2005 Bentley 200 cruise, and it seems to be worth around $7500. My main question is, will his insurance just pay me somewhere in that range ? The issue is that it will be extremely difficult to find a comparable boat for $7500, even though that seems to be the value. Any advice you have on action I can take in this situation would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[the MfM]

Don’t be in a hurry. Don’t just agree to book value. I’d look for comparable boats for sale; add and subtract for condition and upgrades as necessary. And be sure to factor in dealer fees, transportation and taxes.

The goal is to be made “whole”. Good luck and I’m glad everyone walked away.

 

[Beachbummer]

Everything is negotiable until you are in court. In theory they need to make you whole, and you need to come to an agreement of what "whole" is, or you end up in court (not fun for any involved, but it needs to be considered a possibility if you are not satisfied with their offer. After all it's an offer to satisfy the damage caused, and you have to accept it for it to release the "guilty" of further liability).

Pull up comps for boats of similar age and condition to yours, and comment on how much more or less each one is priced compared to yours according to your opinion. (This one is $7,000 and needs new upholstery...that's +$3K, this one is faded and is selling for 8500. this one is 12000 and is a year older, etc)

This logic has worked for me on auto claims, I don't see why It would not translate to boat claims also, but I could be wrong.

 

[anmut]

I'm not sure about how your state works for insurance laws, but in WI I would've filed with your mom's insurance carrier, get the replacement on the way, and then let the two insurance companies duke it out.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Doesn't your insurance company handle this for you?

 

[scbruet]

Appreciate the input so far. I’m just worried about a claim on her insurance hiking her rates when the other driver was 100% at fault ?

 

[scokill]

Appreciate the input so far. I’m just worried about a claim on her insurance hiking her rates when the other driver was 100% at fault ?

I would just call and ask your agent or the insurance company. Also with respect to value, you need to figure sales tax, any title fees, registration, take in consideration the trailer...i.e., is the trailer now useless if the boat is totaled, do you need a new trailer, etc.

 

[Elliott]

Appreciate the input so far. I’m just worried about a claim on her insurance hiking her rates when the other driver was 100% at fault ?

A not-at-fault claim will not impact her insurance rates.

One caveat - if you have multiple not-at-fault claims, an insurance company may increase your rates or drop you. Think of the driver that always stops short at traffic lights; that driver gets hit more than your average driver. Even though the driver that stops short is not legally at fault, their insurance company will recognize that they are an increased risk (for example getting hit by an uninsured driver).

 

[scbruet]

Makes sense, thanks. The season is almost over here in Pennsylvania anyway lucky, so hopefully his insurance is easy enough to work with. If they won’t budget on a trash offer I will get her insurance company involved.

 

[BigT51]

" The season is almost over here in Pennsylvania anyway ..."
Hopefully we have a few more weeks, I'm not ready to winterize just yet.

 

[scbruet]

we are at a higher elevation.....but yes , hopefully there are still some weeks left.

 

[BigT51]

we are at a higher elevation.....but yes , hopefully there are still some weeks left.

What lake were you on when the accident happened?

 

[scbruet]

Crystal Lake in Carbondale. We were the only 2 boats on the lake at the time. It’s completely impossible he hit me. Makes no sense.

 

[Lawman25]

Crystal Lake in Carbondale. We were the only 2 boats on the lake at the time. It’s completely impossible he hit me. Makes no sense.

As a police officer I can tell that at a decent amount of the accidents I go to, we sit there and wonder how the hell the at fault person managed to get into that accident at all. Not to mention, I think we've all been on the water at some point with nobody even close to use, open water for a couple hundred yards in all directions, and that one guy just feels it necessary to go by within 15-20 yards of you.

 

[Ronnie]

Not apples to apples but when my truck, boat, trailer and gear were stolen a few years ago, boat us / Gieco at the time paid me the stated value for my boat (It was that kind of policy) and aaa paid me the average sales price plus tax for my truck. I actually made a few thousand on that “loss”. My insurance adjuster said they they base the payout amount on informantion from the DMV.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Appreciate any advice you guys would have on this situation.......
Luckily, everyone in this story was completely fine and nobody had any injuries. I was on my Mother’s pontoon boat with the engine off on a small private lake in Pennsylvania, just enjoying the sun. She has a summer cottage there that I visit a lot and had some friends over. We had 4 people on the boat, and we were near the middle of the lake, stationary, with the engine off. There was only 1 other boater on the lake and he had 4 people in his boat and he pulling 2 children in a tube. Well, he had his head turned around staring at the tubers for way too long , while he was turning his boat, and drilled our stern going 30-35 mph. Everybody is ok, it’s a miracle. Super scary though.

So I called the police, got his insurance, filed a claim through his yesterday , he has travelers. I sent the adjuster pictures of the damage , and I’m assuming they will come out soon to see it. We sent pictures to a Bentley dealer and they said it’s totaled. It’s a 2005 Bentley 200 cruise, and it seems to be worth around $7500. My main question is, will his insurance just pay me somewhere in that range ? The issue is that it will be extremely difficult to find a comparable boat for $7500, even though that seems to be the value. Any advice you have on action I can take in this situation would be appreciated. Thanks!

@scbruet .....I am NOT advising this just relaying a situation. Similar event happened to a friend about five years ago. His expensive boat was rear ended. Other boater's company was playing games all of which involved really low balling the value of his boat. He telephoned the insurance company and said "Don't worry about rushing the claim, a couple of us have neck and back pains and will be seeing physicians". Within 24 hours he was offered a cheque for four times the original amount. Hmmmmm