Insurance Issue-NF

[floater]

Sorry to have to ask this but we recently lost both parents in a car meets water mishap. I'm trying to make a claim on the fishing contents of the car that were lost or stolen while the car went from Coroner to Police to Impound yard. The fathers tackle box is missing and it has over 60 years of tackle in it. It was a large 3 tray on either side box.  I've put in a claim of 10 000 for the tackle box and contents but the Insurance is giving me a hard time as I don't have an receipts for anything in it or any pics as they were too old to have phones. I'm wondering if my amount of 10k is too high? I've been buying tackle for about thirty years and my tackle bag is easily over ten K by now I figure. Not sure what to do. Thanks. for any info on what you may have accumulated over the years. 

[OhioFisherman]

Sorry for your loss, I think you will have real problems getting an insurance company to pay for a thing with no proof.

[floater]

Thank you. I proved to the Insurance Company that they went fishing with all the tackle and stuff they have taken with them over the last forty years.  Pics of the interior of the car after immersion showing everything. That does'n't appear to be good enough for them and their flow charts. A customer for over 60 years and this is the way you are treated. 

[Terry]

Well

  I would think they did the math

60 years ago tackle was worth pennies 

25 years a go lures were worth. 50 cents to 5 bucks

now 5 to 20 bucks

averaged out   5 bucks a lure

did  he have 2000 lures in the box

i just ballparks it but I am sure it’s how the come to  think 10,000 is too much. 

[smitty55]

I would definitely be talking to the Office of Insurance Ombudsman
https://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/insurance/insurancebulletins/Pages/g-05_96.aspx

[floater]

All valid points and I've considered that some of the tackle was quite old. I told them that and they said come up with a price list to replace all the tackle. That is why i'm asking what an average cost of a large tackle box with three trays on either side would be. 

[Steve]

$10,000 dollar claim for a 6 tray tackle box?

Your best bet is to go to a tackle shop, explain what you think your father may have had in the tackle box, and have them provide you a formal written declaration of cost.

I can only imagine the claims adjuster face when they read you think your dads tackle box cost $10,000.

Even if it did (it didn't), but even if it did, your father would been advised to schedule anything with value in the thousands (ie, jewellery, etc).

I think you may find if you take a zero off the number, you might get better luck. When I had a tackle box stolen 10 years or so ago at Jordan Harbour I was able to get $1,200 from the insurance company. I had no receipts either. I had all new spring salmon lures which are $10 /each.

Good luck.

(if a broker was used for the purchase of insurance try getting their help...but I don't think they'll be able to hold a straight face to the $10K claim for a 6 tray, 60 year old tackle box)

 

[dave524]

1 minute ago, Steve said:

 

I think you may find if you take a zero off the number, you might get better luck. When I had a tackle box stolen 10 years or so ago at Jordan Harbour I was able to get $1,200 from the insurance company. I had no receipts either. I had all new spring salmon lures which are $10 /each.

Good luck.

 

 

Nice to see you are still around, missed those spring Jordan Brown Trout posts

[Steve]

Hey Dave! Don't spend much time online anymore, but still get out ... probably the most all year in the spring.

Be out there breaking ice until the kings leave the shallows...then I leave them alone.

Still fishing with the old man though. Treasuring these times, for sure. My December Quinte trips are well in the rear view mirror

OP, PM me if you need some advice on how to get this settled.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Steve

[porkpie]

5 hours ago, floater said:

All valid points and I've considered that some of the tackle was quite old. I told them that and they said come up with a price list to replace all the tackle. That is why i'm asking what an average cost of a large tackle box with three trays on either side would be. 

Realistically for most of them that I’ve seen at yard sales or swap meets a realistic new price would be $500 tops. Most 6 tray tackle boxes I’ve seen have a few costly rapalas, some mepps spinners, a few Williams and some various other name brands, then are filled with red and white bobbers, snelled hooks, rusty fillet knifes, a spring scale etc.  Some might have a bit more expensive gear, but tops probably a grand, and I’m being really generous there.  Most trays have 10 spaces tops, most that I’ve seen have a couple lures in each space at most, so let’s say at the outside 120 lures.  Then let’s say every single lure is worth $10 (probably only half would come close at replacement value). So lure value is $$1200 brand new at the outside.  $100 in hooks, bobbers etc and maybe $100 for the box so $1400 plus tax would be a pretty generous insurance ask for most “average” big boxes that I’ve seen.  I have a lot of tackle. All of my rods, reels and Plano boxes are photographed and I advised my insurance company of my hobby including numerous customs rods. Even still I think I’d get a very hard time asking 10k for one box, unless it was full to the rim with Lymans, or old valuable new in package lures that are currently collectable and in demand. Seeing as you went high to start with I’d see how much I could get but 10k isn’t going to happen.

[Old Ironmaker]

I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine what your Family and yourself is going through. As far as the tackle I have I had to declare the 4 grand I have in rods, reels and tackle I have in the truck, boat or home at any given time. Complete with photos. One box alone is $1900.00 It's just like jewelry at home. It has to be documented fully to get reimbursed due to loss. Most homeowners, boats and vehicle losses are $500.00 without declaration of valuables. I don't think you can get what you lost in tackle unfortunately unless documented fully. Read your policy. 

[Old Ironmaker]

7 hours ago, floater said:

All valid points and I've considered that some of the tackle was quite old. I told them that and they said come up with a price list to replace all the tackle. That is why i'm asking what an average cost of a large tackle box with three trays on either side would be. 

You are asking "How long is a rope?" Are you asking for replacement cost or real losses? I bet he had some Rappala's for example that he paid 5 bucks for that go for 15 bucks today. What did his policy say? If they pay more than $500.00 I would be very surprised. 10K, no way. 

[Whitespinnerbait]

500 lures worth 20.00 each in a tackle box ?

[John Bacon]

They should probably cover you for replacement cost; not what you paid.

How many lures do you think the box held?   If you used a $15/lure average, that's almost 700 lures.  Unless you're counting jig heads, etc., I don't think there were 700 lures in the box.

Edited September 26, 2019 by John Bacon

[Garnet]

I'm on Market Place Face Book and see these types of tackleboxes with contents for sale.

Mostly low hundreds.

[NAW]

Very sorry to hear about your loss.  10,000 seems way to high. 

 

Would your Dad want you to battle the insurance company and fight and scrap for every penny you can get from them??  If yes, then giver...    If no, then take what ever you can get.  Maybe a grand or two at most. 

 

It shouldn't be about the money.  You just lost both your parents, and their is no value to the nostalgic lures you just lost.    An extremely crappy situation that someone stole items from a vehicle where both drivers passed away.  Nothing more low then that.  It's really sad that someone would do that.   I'd be spending my time and energy trying to track down every individual who touched that vehicle and question them all hard.    Go home, watch all 3 John Wick's and then start your investigation!  (kidding...)

[lew]

10 minutes ago, NAW said:

It's really sad that someone would do that. 

About 15 years ago my daughter was in a serious accident on the 115 and her car was so badly mangled she had to be cut free by the Fire Dept. Fortunately the  seat belt & air bags did their job and she wasn't too seriously injured. 

After she got out of the hospital we went to where her car had been towed to retrieve her stuff and found that her suitcase was missing. We went to the accident scene and walked the shoulders but it wasn't there so we can only assume someone stole it.

We talked to everyone involved but nobody knew anything.

It can be a sad world sometimes.

[floater]

Thanks for the tips and well wishes. I only picked the number 10 000 cus I know what insurance companies are like. It was a  large tackle box with several hundred lures and body baits in it along with all the terminal tackle and what not. He'd been collecting all the tackle for a long time. This was the only item the brothers and I wanted to share to remember him by and it's gone. I will contact the insurance company and try to 'renegotiate'. Thanks again

s g

[Big Cliff]

My condolences! Share the memories, they are priceless! 

[OhioFisherman]

I used to collect some older reels and would hit garage sales and flea markets looking for them, old is only one part of what might make a reel or lure valuable, I have also seen many old tackle boxes full of old lures and reels that I wouldn't have paid 20 bucks for. Don't get me wrong, some of the old stuff is worth some serious cash, but a lot of it isn't.

[BillM]

Tell them it was full of muskie lures.   Best bet for a bigger payout.