On June 28,2009 Sunday my wife and I were caught in a torrential downpour on the St Lawrence River in our boat. Like all other boaters we immediately headed towards shore. We had approx. 6 miles to go to reach the marina, when, what appears to have been a beach towel or old blanket, wrapped around the prop. After climbing on the swim platform with a boat hook, I was able to get it unwrapped, but as I continued upriver the outdrive was making an out of round sound. I thought maybe a blade was bent on the prop. Then the outdrive locked up and stalled. I could not restart the engine. I flagged down a nearby boater and he towed us all the way back to the marina. On Monday morning the 29th I called my insurance agent to find out if this damage would be covered. He checked my policy, saw that I had collision and that he would file a claim for me. Later on that day I received a call. From that day on my wife and I felt he treated us like criminals! And that somehow this was a fraudulent claim. Some time after that week we contacted the marina and arranged for apparently some type of testings to be done on the outdrive. They drained out all the oil (oil volume test), pressurized the outdrive to test the seals, vacuum tested it to test in-blowing of seals, all of which the marina mechanic said it passed all tests. So at this point we know it was full of oil and the seals were in good shape. I received a certified letter which I will send to you which says that I need to authorize a tear down for further inspection before the claim can be continued. and it is estimated to take 3 hrs. The boat is a 1978 and I'm sure there will be an indication of some wear but it sounds to me that this agent is trying to discredit this claim as fraud and has no intentions of pursuing this claim.
CLAIM REJECTED:
The recent findings of your boat inspection shows wear and tear /
mechanical breakdown of you drive assembly.
Your policy reads under comp/collision exclusions
Progressive does not pay damages
9. caused directly or indirectly by:
a. wear and tear;
b. smog, humidity, mildew, mold, freezing, thawing, or extremes of
temperature;
c. gradual deterioration of any kind including, but not limited to,
weathering, rust, corrosion, mold, wet
or dry rot, osmosis, delamination or blistering;
d. dock rash or other gradual marring or scratching;
e. mechanical, electrical, or structural breakdown, except for subsequent
loss by fire or explosion;
f. any manufacturing or latent defect; or
g. insects, animals, vermin, or marine life.
However, this exclusion does not apply if the damage results from the
theft of a covered watercraft;
My inspections revealed a mechanical breakdown of the upper gear set
resulting from wear & tear or mechanical failure.
CLAIM REJECTED:
The recent findings of your boat inspection shows wear and tear /
mechanical breakdown of you drive assembly.
Your policy reads under comp/collision exclusions
Progressive does not pay damages
9. caused directly or indirectly by:
a. wear and tear;
b. smog, humidity, mildew, mold, freezing, thawing, or extremes of
temperature;
c. gradual deterioration of any kind including, but not limited to,
weathering, rust, corrosion, mold, wet
or dry rot, osmosis, delamination or blistering;
d. dock rash or other gradual marring or scratching;
e. mechanical, electrical, or structural breakdown, except for subsequent
loss by fire or explosion;
f. any manufacturing or latent defect; or
g. insects, animals, vermin, or marine life.
However, this exclusion does not apply if the damage results from the
theft of a covered watercraft;
My inspections revealed a mechanical breakdown of the upper gear set
resulting from wear & tear or mechanical failure.
