Whether you’re the owner of a large marine business or just a single boat, you may be tempted to make your own repairs or cut some corners when your insurance claim for hail damage gets denied. However, before you try to cover chips with nail polish or rush through a quick fix, you should realize that you may make it worse—and it can ruin your chance to fight an unfair denial from your insurance company.
Making Temporary Repairs
Temporary repairs may be necessary to secure a vessel and mitigate losses after a major hailstorm, but they can hurt more than help if you don’t talk take appropriate precautions. Make sure that you’ve photographed and documented the damage, and check that the insurance company has all the information it needs before changing anything or putting up temporary repairs. Additionally, it’s worth consulting with a professional who can make sure that you’ve covered all your bases for loss mitigation in the meantime.
Making Adequate Long-Term Repairs
Even if you’ve received a claim denial for your hail damage, don’t move ahead with cheap or sub-par repairs out of frustration. You may still be able to get the insurance coverage you need to recover fully from a hailstorm, but you can essentially “shoot yourself in the foot” if you try a tricky fix or quick repair that won’t hold up.
An Initial Denial of Marine Hail Claims Isn’t Always the Whole Story
Ultimately, you may not have to give up on your hopes of recovering your losses just because your hail-damage claim was initially denied by your marine insurance company. Marine policyholders often have options for fighting delays and denials, but they can lose their chances if they rush ahead and make inadequate repairs. If your hail damage claim has already been denied, learn more about your rights right now by requesting our free book, Your Basic Guide to Marine Insurance.
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