Motor Problems

[Possum]

Buddy of mine were down Guntersville a while back and he got trash in his engine and burned it up, his insuranse company does not want to fix it now. A guy from his ins. co. called and even ask me what happened and I told him exactly what happened and he told me they were going to fix it. Now they don't want to. Should the insurance company fix it? Anybody had this experience?

 

[flip1up]

Did he get grass in the water intake? Sounds like they should fix it to me.

 

[DHaun]

That's a real tough one to know without reading all the fine print in the specific policy and knowing the exact details of how the damage occurred. Sounds like grass in the intake could happen to anyone on Guntersville. I hope they fix it for him.

 

[Possum]

Yes, and maybe some mud, we were in shallow water. If any body has ever launched from the GP camp ground, it happened in between the Islands before you hit the channel leading into the river.

 

[flip1up]

Yep, was there a week ago. I have seen guys go wide open through there to avoid the No Wake Zone at the marina. Not me though, its only 2-3 foot deep.

 

[Gator]

Possum. I think your buddy should ready the policy and if he thinks it's covered go talk to the agents manager, possibly the claim dept. mgr and if that doesn't work he can always file a complaint with his state insurance dept. I've heard of claims filed and paid when plastic sandwich bags were sucked into the intake and burned up the engine but all policies are not the same. Good luck but if he thinks he's right he should not hesitate to take it all the way to the insurance dept.

 

[Possum]

I usually roll threw there myself, but I have been through there so much, I know how to hit it. I assumed he did. He is a young guy I use to coach in football and it is his first boat. I hope this does not turn out to be to expensive of a lesson. I feel bad because he invited me down to take me out in his new to him boat, I am actually the one who got him into it, he spent a week down there with me about two years ago and that was it. If they don't fix it I think I will write a letter for him, sometimes that goes a long way.

 

[rodscar]

Spoke with someone who processes claims, they said typically they would have a marine service take engine down find out what happened/wear and tear or something pulled into engine then make claim decision.....

 

[Possum]

Thanks that is good info. I will pass it own.

 

[beetlespin]

I will be very surprised if insurance pays for this. To be honest I would not even think about turning it in on insurance. They will say it was neglect and not an accident that should be covered by insurance. I would probably agree with that. I certainly don't want to make anyone mad but idling through grass filled, shallow water is a risk you choose to take. I always check the water stream coming from the engine after I go through anything like that.

Lance

 

[Possum]

I would agree, but sometimes you don't have a choice, from campground to channel there is nothing but milfoil. I don't know if they will fix it either but it is worth a try. If he does fix it he needs to install an alarm, if available.

 

[xroadsbasser]

Possum, was that B A's boat? I heard he was having problems with it!!

 

[Possum]

Yes, I have not heard anything from him in a day or two. I think I may call him after while.

 

[Guest]

Possum - 11/16/2007 11:27 AM

I would agree, but sometimes you don't have a choice, from campground to channel there is nothing but milfoil. I don't know if they will fix it either but it is worth a try. If he does fix it he needs to install an alarm, if available.

He could have chosen the deeper path, but still yet, you should always stop and clean the prop and lower unit off after doing something like that. I would bet he had other problems and it is just coincidence that it happened after that, Did the alarm not go off? I doubt seriously ins will cover it.
Expensive lesson no doubt.

 

[Possum]

We never made it to the channel to blow it out. I am not sure we did not pick something up at the ramp, i.e. a bag or trash of some kind. We probably didn't go 400 to 600 yards, before it over heated.

 

[Guest]

Sounds like he had other problems going on. Water pump could have been bad, thermostat, something lodged internally from who knows what etc etc.