Insurance--DIY fixes that your insurance might not like

[thinwater]

There are two things I hear on forums a lot that I wonder about (well, more than two, but only two that I'm asking about now):

• "If you do that you'll fail your next survey." This might lead to an insurance problem, but the insurance surveys I've witnessed were pretty cursory, and mostly addressed through hulls, sump pumps, and fuel systems.
• "If you do that and X happens the claim will be denied." The thing of it is, if insurance didn't cover mistakes I really wouldn't bother with it. Huricanes are rare here and practically everything else results from a mistake. But I do make mistakes, and I'm not so sure an honest DIY error is going to get a claim denied. And of course, if the boat goes up in flames and sinks, I'm guessing their not going to try to figure out if one bad solder joint caused it.

What DIY or other fixes of modifications have you either KNOWN to cause denial or do you wonder about? Or for that matter, anything else.



I'm going to making some inquiries, so I need specific cases or situations.

[boatpoker]

If you install your own propane heating system and don't tell your insurance co.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

If you install your own propane heating system and don't tell your insurance co.

Oh dear.


If you have a furnace installed or replaced in your home a code inspection is generally required. I wonder if there are specific things that would trigger a requirement for survey or notification? I never thought about it, but it would make sense, perhaps.

[sailorboy1]

I also wonder how many of these stories are internet urban legend verse fact.

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

If you install your own propane heating system and don't tell your insurance co.

These kinds of things drive me crazy! There are times when home versions of systems will work on a boat and I'm all for appropriate use of cheaper items. HVAC systems are not one of them. Spend the little extra money on a marine system, maintain it properly, I bet it will Outlast whatever you bring from home and rig up.

There was a photo on here the other day. Boat for $79,000 had a window unit ac stuck in the forward bulkhead and a home ceiling fan hanging precariously somehow from the cabin headliner in the vberth. I'm basically poor, I love cheap boats, but if you do stuff like that, I don't want your boat, period.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I also wonder how many of these stories are internet urban legend verse fact.

Like this one ...... insurance denied.

[boatpoker]

or this one ...... insurance denied.

[boatpoker]

or this one ...... insurance denied.

I literally have about 1,000 of these

[bensolomon]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

or this one ...... insurance denied.

I literally have about 1,000 of these

How do you have so many?

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

How do you have so many?

He's a thorough and knowledgeable marine surveyor and people do dumb things to boats.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

How do you have so many?

4,693 marine survey reports
43 court proceedings as expert witness
422 disputed insurance claims investigations

There are somewhere around 2,000 photos on my website and another 80,000 in my files

[john61ct]

I would think anything you do after the survey that is not done by a pro as per ABYC, that **could** be claimed to have caused the problem, would very often shift the burden of proof to the owner.

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by john61ct

I would think anything you do after the survey that is not done by a pro as per ABYC, that **could** be claimed to have caused the problem, would very often shift the burden of proof to the owner.

Very true. ABYC standards are a click away on the webs. I used to keep a copy on my phone and consulted it often when working on boats, mine and others. Ignorance of good and proven practices is not an excuse.

[bensolomon]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

4,693 marine survey reports
43 court proceedings as expert witness
422 disputed insurance claims investigations

There are somewhere around 2,000 photos on my website and another 80,000 in my files

That's fantastic!!! Great career! how often have you burst into laughter when you see some of the stupid things people have done? I consider myself to be kind of stupid, but looking at those few photos I feel much better about my own shipwrighting, which is mostly leaving it to the professionals.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Fiveslide

ABYC standards are a click away on the webs. I used to keep a copy on my phone and consulted it often when working on boats, mine and others.

Link please