First, let me say, given my current experince I wouldn't recommend BoatUS
insurance. I have the so called Yacht policy which is there "better"
policy, and it and their serice sucks. I had a better deal at the Auto
Club before, who are not "marine experts." I switched to BoatUS (which I
will abreviate hereon as "BS") because it was cheaper and now I see the
error of my ways.

Anyway, here's the problem. Hit a submerged object and tore off my skeg,
bent the prop shaft and deformed the lower housing on my Volvo Penta
outdrive. Made a claim to BS. They're East Coast, I'm West Coast. They
say take it to my local shop and get estimate and send to them. BS says if
I have to replace, they will "depreciate" but if I can repair, they will
pay full cost of repair. Shop looks at it, and says everything inside
probably screwed up so best way to go is to get whole new lower gear case,
about $5K. Send estimate to BS. They say no good, need to do tear down and
see if it can be repaired and they will pay for tear down. OK, fair enough.
Shop tears it down, decides can be repaired by replacing only prop shaft
and case (gears examined and are OK), about $2700 parts and labor. Tear
down charge $250, but will apply to repair when I get it done. Estimate
sent to BS.

I don't hear anything from BS for a week. Called, no response. Emailed
them, and finally they reply "Oh, sent you a check for $2K less $100
deductible." Check does come and that's what it is. Finally I get them on
the phone. Talked to the adjuster and his supervisor. After some heated
discussion, bottom line is that they want to depreciate not the whole unit
replacement, but the individual parts to be replaced, the key ones being
the prop shaft and case. They don't want to put me in a "better position"
than I was before the accident. By the way, my "yacht" is hardly one. Its
an 18 foot 1997 bowrider. It in near perfect condition, mostly because I
don't get to use it much, and when I do it exclusively in fresh water. It
stays covered at all other times. The boat probably has only about 100
hours on it.

BS explains to me that their 25% depreciation is based on "chart" they have
and the age of the boat. I say its bull to depreciate these two parts, the
prop shaft and the case. These parts don't normally wear out and certainly
mine weren't 25% gone. I say they have to use the actual amount of wear on
my parts, not some chart. The policy does not say anything about a chart.
The only word it uses is "depreciate" and there is no definition or other
explanation. Webster says depreciation means" A decline in the value of a
property due to general wear and tear." So absent any policy definition
that's the one that must apply. And that means they must show that MY unit,
and specifically the two parts in question, have suffered wear and tear. I
don't think they can show that. I told them they can inspect it at
anytime, which I believe is their legal duty as part of their duty to
fairly adjust this claim, but so far they have stonewalled me this, no
doubt because they want to avoid the cost of an inspection.

I would like to know if any of you have had an experience negoitiating with
BS over the depreciation issue, and if so what was the result. Thanks.