I went through a similiar experience and my insurance company repeatedly denied the claim. Lucky for me my father is a retired Insurance Claims person and helped me to navigate through the insurance maze (remember - they make money when they do not pay you). First, look up the term "Good Faith". It is a term with special meaning in the insurance industry and is supposed to guide the relationship between the insured and the insurer. Study it and learn it. It scares the hell of insurance companies. Next, find yourself an insurance claims lawyer. He will help you write a total of about 3 letters over the course of several weeks as you correspond with the insurer. Finally, you will be asked to give a deposition to the insurers lawyer. That was the last step before they made me a settlement offer. I also learned that you can negotiate an offer.

The key to my case was the theft report filed with the police. Without that, I had no case. All of the other bull*** about "entrusted to others" is an insurance industry smoke screen. You just have to prove a loss occured.

It took me more than 7 months of communicating with my insurance company, but they finally settled.

Whenever I communicated with the insurance company, my father taught me to use the these 2 phrases as often as possible;
1) I suffered a loss of property insured by your company
2) I expect my insurance company to act in good faith.

Good luck, I know you can win this one with the insurance company.

As far as the cash, that's what the legal system is for. May not get any money back, but it sure would be cool to know that he is getting funky in a jail cell with Bubba.

How could he sell it without a title? Perhaps it was parted out, get the SN to Merc and see if they have any records.

georgia does not title boats

waterbum...great feedback, that's what makes this forum a super place.

Cash Bar...I agree with some of the others, post as many pics as you can, there are a lot of eyes out there to help you. I remember a post not that long ago where this forum helped a member recover his stolen prop (I forgot the posters name) and the thief got busted. That's what this forum is for, we're all in the same "boat" Good luck.

THanks for all of the replies!!!

Waterbum and RiskTaker, I hope your advice will help! I WILL follow through with it this week.I may have questions and I feel better knowing I have a helpful ear on this forum.

I Will also post as much info. and pics of my boat that I can gather this week.I know we will find it and I hate to say it, but yes, someone honestly paid for my boat and will have to surrender it to me. I hate the thought of doing that, but I also hate to hear of them getting arrested before I can get word to them about it being stolen.

More to come.

Greg
678-778-4734

"STATE FARM policies specifically EXCLUDE any adverse consequences of leaving my boat with anyone else for ANY REASON. They are not liable under article I in the policy that if the boat is entrusted to another person, even for service, and the boat is damaged, stolen, etc

What about leaving it at a marina? Rack storage? Winter storage? This leaves open all sorts of risks. How can you be in charge of your boat at all times? This would be impossible. I would go after State Farm it's your only recourse.

They always like to take your premimum but when it comes time to pay it's always a battle of some sorts. Typical.

Fisrt off, that just plain sucks.
Second, I believe that provision is for a bailment (I think that's the legal term). It puts responsibility for loss or damage to your property on the person who has cotrol of it. Usually it's when a dealer has your property for service. I would fight the insurance Co on that.
Third, you still own the boat. In many states, you can get it back if it can be found.
Gary

years ago I went to school to be a State Farm agent and they said I only needed to know 2 phrases for the job:
1."Your premium is going up"
2."Thats not covered"

What a bummer to have to go through this Greg.Hope you get the compensation you deserve.
and hope they catch that dirt bag who did it

Good Luck. Thanks for the warning, I have State Farm.

When your agency opened up the investigation they allready posted your boat across the world in some fax mechanism they use to find stolen boats.

Post some pics and i will forward it around here on the west coast. It will be found, trust me.