Forensic question.

[peterwn]

A man claimed his boat was stolen and probably sunk. He handed the insurance assessor both sets of keys and assured him that they were the only sets. The insurance company declined the claim. Why?

[Squelchtone]

A man claimed his boat was stolen and probably sunk. He handed the insurance assessor both sets of keys and assured him that they were the only sets. The insurance company declined the claim. Why?

Because his assurance means nothing. The boat could have been towed away without needing keys or the keys could be a common key that he could have made copies of at the local locksmith shop. Why anyone would steal a boat just to sick it is beyond me, unless they knew he liked the boat and wanted to get back at him for something. Did he still owe money on the boat? if he owed a lot, it would probably be very convenient to say it was stolen so that he would not have to keep paying for it.

Squelchtone

[GWiens2001]

Was it a sailboat requiring no keys needed to operate?

Gordon

[cledry]

A man claimed his boat was stolen and probably sunk. He handed the insurance assessor both sets of keys and assured him that they were the only sets. The insurance company declined the claim. Why?

It was a sail boat.

[Achyfellow]

Man I love this questions with a catch. (Was it a question with a catch or was it serious? The sailboat was actually the first thing that came to my mind)

[ckc123]

Was it a sailboat requiring no keys needed to operate?

Gordon

They operate the lock which locks it to the mooring!

The operate the lock on the trailer hitch used to tow the boat (which it was sitting on at the marina)

The operate the door on the lower cabin to get inside.. (which stored and locked up the sails)

They operate the secondary outboard motor that a lot of sailboats have for backup.

there are many reasons for keys on sail boats.. for security/emergency reasons.

As for the original question..

if it's a trick question, then there are probably many more answers to why it must be paid even with the keys, then to make a few claims against paying it..

[GWiens2001]

Was it a sailboat requiring no keys needed to operate?

Gordon

They operate the lock which locks it to the mooring!

The operate the lock on the trailer hitch used to tow the boat (which it was sitting on at the marina)

The operate the door on the lower cabin to get inside.. (which stored and locked up the sails)

They operate the secondary outboard motor that a lot of sailboats have for backup.

there are many reasons for keys on sail boats.. for security/emergency reasons.

As for the original question..

if it's a trick question, then there are probably many more answers to why it must be paid even with the keys, then to make a few claims against paying it..

Hence my stating "a sailboat requiring no keys to operate", as opposed to "a sailboat requiring keys to operate".

But you are correct about lack of information. The keys could have been to a Chevy Truck or an electronic key, both of which might tip off the insurance company. Or perhaps the keys had nothing to do with the declined payment. Maybe the boat turned up the next day, so the company did not need to pay.

Gordon

[peterwn]

A man claimed his boat was stolen and probably sunk. He handed the insurance assessor both sets of keys and assured him that they were the only sets. The insurance company declined the claim. Why?

Bit more info. It was a motorboat with an ordinary wafer keyswitch for the ignition and both sets of keys were originals (and were plausible as boat keys). The guy had previously made dubious claims on various insurance companies which were paid out for the sake of goodwill. Insurance companies in New Zealand share claims information to help catch false claims. Following refusal the guy (who must have had rhino thick skin) took the insurance company to court to try to enforce the claim and got properly trashed by the judge. This is no trick question and it has a forensic focus.

[Squelchtone]

A man claimed his boat was stolen and probably sunk. He handed the insurance assessor both sets of keys and assured him that they were the only sets. The insurance company declined the claim. Why?

Bit more info. It was a motorboat with an ordinary wafer keyswitch for the ignition and both sets of keys were originals (and were plausible as boat keys). The guy had previously made dubious claims on various insurance companies which were paid out for the sake of goodwill. Insurance companies in New Zealand share claims information to help catch false claims. Following refusal the guy (who must have had rhino thick skin) took the insurance company to court to try to enforce the claim and got properly trashed by the judge. This is no trick question and it has a forensic focus.

In that case, like I already replied, it is a trivial act to get a copy of a key made, and return the original keys, while still having a copy of the keys. did the boat really sink? did a friend of his just take it it off shore and paint a new name on it? who knows.

If the keys were something high end like BiLock, Abloy, or Medeco, I would then have doubts as to the owner getting copies of the key made at a local locksmith or hardware shop, but wafer locks.. heck, sometimes you can stick a similar key in from your lawn mower and it may turn and start the boat engine.

hope that helps,
Squelchtone

[peterwn]

In that case, like I already replied, it is a trivial act to get a copy of a key made, and return the original keys, while still having a copy of the keys. did the boat really sink? did a friend of his just take it it off shore and paint a new name on it? who knows.

If the keys were something high end like BiLock, Abloy, or Medeco, I would then have doubts as to the owner getting copies of the key made at a local locksmith or hardware shop, but wafer locks.. heck, sometimes you can stick a similar key in from your lawn mower and it may turn and start the boat engine.

hope that helps,
Squelchtone

Yes, indeed - this is what the insurance assessor would have thought. But there was still the problem that the fraudster could put on a sob story and persuade the judge that the boat was indeed lost. Now if the insurance assessor could find evidence that another set of keys was made, that would make his day.

[cledry]

How would he know the boat was probably sunk? That would raise a flag with me.

[cledry]

The keys were to a 1966 Ford pickup truck.

[cledry]

The man was dripping wet when he handed the keys over.

[YouLuckyFox]

The man was dripping wet when he handed the keys over.

That made my day!

[mechanical_nightmare]

So let's assume that you own a boat, and that a nutjob actually steals it and sinks it (and himself along with it); does this mean you won't get paid up? Thanks for the laugh btw, cledry, I needed that at work today