Don't know what to do

[croixflats]

Dont the insurance company know even hitting something solid with the prop can mess up the lower unit especially if your running a ss prop. And you dont leave a mark when the prop does the hitting. Be sure to mention that in smaal claims, this is how my lower unit got messed up. Good luck keep the fight up start a petition and send to ins. company bad publicity can do wonders.

[Valv]

It is interesting also since Ins Co will re-sell motor on auction and get a lot of money for it since it doesn't appear damaged.

You must have gotten some new adjusters, they want to climb the corporate ladder showing they have few claims. This is typical nowadays.

[overdalimit]

In MN there is a thing in your policy called an appraisal clause. It says that if you don't agree with the ins companies adjuster you can hire a licensed independant adjuster to do an appraisal of the damage. Look to find someone with marine estimating experiance. Hope this helps.

[ChuckN]

Sucks to hear the insurance company is stubborn on this deal. I had one claim for hitting an underwater object...damage appeared a year later because the incident was so minor. I was honest with my accident event claim, and they wanted a mechanic's opinion and mechanic said that damage resulted from hitting an underwater object...claim covered.

There is a procedure where you can have the lower unit casing analyzed for fine cracks from under water impact. I really do not remember the proper procedure, but basically the case needs to be dropped into a chemical and fine fractures can be detected. I had a leak in a lower unit on another outboard and the mechanic sent it into a machine shop to find out if water was leaking thru cracks in the lower unit..there were lots of fractures found.. Anyone else heard of this?

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Sucks to hear the insurance company is stubborn on this deal.

I repeat: and why do we hate these guys??!!

Heard that some folks in Hugo (tornado) are battling with their insurance companies also. I only wish the news would have said WHICH company it was. It seems we always have to learn which ones suck the hard way.

[Fredd]

I had a buddy who went through the same experience on the Rainy River. Something popped his motor out of the water but left no visible mark and has not yet caused internal damage. He is sure that it was probably a deadhead.

Minnesota does have the appraisal clause language in its statutes, but I think that the issue that you are dealing with is related to whether you can prove the loss versus a disagreement on the amount of the loss.

[Ralph Wiggum]

FYI, Lee appears to live in New York, so MN laws aren't going to help him.

[overdalimit]

Process is called magnafluxing.