flood-value of lost rc stuff

- valid but off-topic venting snipped -

I'm not a lawyer, and that's what you'll need. But here's my 2 cents worth:

Yes the insurance adjuster could say they have little or no value -- they can say just about anything. Make sure you have a good inventory of the pieces, and be ready with both a replacement cost and a "fair value" cost. If you can lay your hands on it check your insurance policy for the wording -- the better (more expensive) ones will replace your lost stuff with new, the cheaper will replace your lost stuff at "fair value" (should be what a hobby shop would sell them for used, it's really what a jury will award you).

You may not be protected from flood damage or "acts of god" -- check the wording on your policy, again. I suspect that the insurers will be working hard on worming their way out of paying on this one.

On 9 Sep 2005 08:23:22 -0700, hjohn snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote in :

Sorry to hear about your losses.

I'd make a list of everything you remember losing and give the original purchase price.

File for that amount and see what you get.

Not if you show him or her a Tower catalogue.

No problem. You, your family, and other victims of nature's wrath have my deepest sympathy and my most heartfelt prayers.

Marty

I would have thought you would claim for replacement cost - at least that is certainly what I would do

David

"Mart> On 9 Sep 2005 08:23:22 -0700, hjohn snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote in > :

I don't know whether Southern LA insurance policies have a hurricane exclusion, but generally speaking, if water comes into your house from above, it's covered; if from below, it's not. So, if your hobby room was in the basement, OUCH!!! If it was in the attic, you may be OK.

Glad to hear you got through it in one piece physically! Your models can be replaced, but you can't!

Some of us may have extra stuff to get you back in the air once your big issues are behind you. Let us know what you need!

Marty Moleski, did you get that book on 2-stroke engine failure analysis? If not, e-mail me and I'll send you one.

Geoff Sanders

I would put out an ad for experienced or professional builders to give bids to replace them complete. Give that to the insurance company. Just like getting your car fixed, when you have written estimates, its hard for them to deny it.

Price out the kits or see what same or similar are going for on eBay. If the original manufacturer is still in business, askthem what the kit is worth for replacement.

Your story is one of many. However, as a lifetime modeler I can sympathise with you and your loss. I have quite a bit of stuff and would be happy to share some of it with you when you get settled, especially if your insurance company shafts you. I have a friend who is a fellow ham radio operator in New Orleans. He is close to my age

70+ and he and his wife left early and went to Memphis and I have not heard from them since. There are plenty of modelers with a surplus of stuff...sharing and helping is a good thing for all of us.... And as for the insurance companies...they can afford to pay for everything...they won't be out a penny...they will just increase the rates the rest of us pay... Frank Schwartz in Hendersonville, TN

Every man for himself. Naw, I dont think so. You live on the coast and a cat

4-5 hurricane comes. I evac my family at cat 3. I am sorry for your loss but you cant blame the government for a natural disaster. Oh, and you want to blame me also. Fine. It's my fault. I punished you cause your whiney and stupid. You must be French. Now get back on topic. .

I knew someone, probably most, feel as you do. However not evacuating has little to do with how to put a value on my rc things, and leaving would not of saved a thing property wise. I am a disabled public employee and my wife is a public employee, not blaming the government for a storm,my thoughts are for old people, many others who couldn't get out . The coast line and man made waterways have been in hot debate for many years as the dangers they pose, and have been in the national news.

Where I live and was flooded was caused by a barge going thru the industrial canal levee, that could happen at any time with or with out a storm, a out of control tugboat knocked the bridge down that crosses the canal killing people crossing the bridge few years back.

The words in my post are mild compared to what the goverment is saying about its self.

Let me close with saying this news group is like my flying field since I have been a shut-in, I value the words and company from you guys (people) first thing I did after getting clean and dry was check this group to see what was going on. When I made this original post I only intended to ask about rc stuff value, but when I saw news story on yahoo, I thought of all those old people in nurseings homes, the ones who lived alone, babies,who had no way out and that we shouldn't live here, no intent to whine for me but I cry for the others, not me. Thank You for your thoughts, you are more correct than wrong,

bert

Martin, you are a crude non-feeling poor excuse for a human being! I can only wish God exposes you to the horrors others are experiencing. I would enjoy watching you suffer you insufferable bastard!

| I would put out an ad for experienced or professional builders to give bids | to replace them complete. Give that to the insurance company. Just like | getting your car fixed, when you have written estimates, its hard for them | to deny it.

And if it's an ARF, you could just go with whatever the LHS charges per hour to fix or assemble things, and multiply that times the number of hours the box says it takes to assemble. (Perhaps taking the lower end of the spread, because at the hobby shop they should know what they're doing and have all the parts readily available (I don't know about everybody else, but personally it seems like a large portion of the time spent on any project is spent finding tools and parts. Even in my own house :))

The hobby shop would probably be happy to write up an estimate, even if they know you probably won't be paying them to assemble an ARF or a kit. (At least around here, assembling planes is not what they normally do, though they probably could.)

Your `worthless' planes suddenly will become quite expensive. And the kits (if assembled) will become extremely valuable. (Probably too valuable, but you're not really being dishonest ...)

I have no idea how the insurance company would respond to this, but certainly the value of your planes is more than just that of the parts that go into them. Unless your time is worthless, I guess ...