Major Rant!

[tommy]

got up this morning - went out to my carport - this is where i part my dirt bike trailer - my son'd 1989 Yamaha with 1,100 miles on it - my new 2005 Yamaha TW200 with 30 miles on it - i don't ride either one on the street so last week i cancelled the insurance on the 1989 - yesterday i called & cancelled the insurance on the 2005 - all three were paid for so i didn't have to carry insurance - so i walk out to the caport today - there is a very large empyy spot - trailer - bikes - all gone - i had very large anchor bolts epoxyed in the concrete - a huge chain chaining up the trailer - the bikes were chained in the trailer & i had a heavy lock on the hitch - have great security lights - so if the *******s want something they are going to get it - well i got it off my chest but i still don't feel anybetter - My jeep with rag top is also parked in the same area - so is my K75 - wonder if they will get back tonight to get the rest of my toyz - :cry

[dano]

Man......that sucks and I feel for you.

I have a friend with a very nice boat / trailer combo. He has one of those "gadgets" that locks onto a wheel (kind NYC cops use to impound a vehicle and to keep it from moving) on the trailer. The "gadget" cost him some $$, but according to him, it's virtually impenetrable.

Be sure to file a theft report with the police. Ya never know, you might get your property back. :thumb

[username]

every time i read stuff like this i think, "i need a big mean dog in my yard."

[riderR1150GSAdv]

Sorry to read about that. I sometimes wonder how the heck these lowlives get through the big locks, chains and other equipment. :cry
I hope you get your goodies back soon!!

[SNC1923]

Major bummer, dude. Really sorry that happened to you and yours. . . . It ain't right. :banghead

[YB in IN]

Would your homeowners insurance cover it? I have a friend who had her $5000 cello generally beat up in a trans-Atlantic flight, and her homeowners insurance covered the rather large repair costs. If that doesn't work, I'd sit on my darkened porch with a shotgun loaded with rock salt and a bottle of bourbon, and do a little bit of pro-active security on your property.

[dlearl476]

Sorry to hear of your loss. I'd second checking into your homeowners insurance. If and when you do get your toys replaced, I'd check into a very loud audible motion alarm. Theives hate loud noise even more than light and dogs.

[flash412]

Once I had a motorcycle trailer. It lived in my back yard, chained and padlocked to a fence. One morning I looked out the kitchen window and noticed it was gone. I filed a police report. Then I called my homeowner's insurance company and filed a claim.

An adjuster called me. He asked if I owned a motorcycle. I told him that I did. He then told me that the trailer was not covered because it was a motorcycle accessory. I quoted him the part of the policy that talked about "utilty trailers" and said that while it was designed primarily to haul motorcycles, I had also hauled a refrigerator to the dump on it and therefore it qualified as a utility trailer. He reiterated that it was simply an accessory to my motorcycle. I told him that I owned nine motorcycles (true at that time) and asked him if he wanted to explain to me with which ONE motorcycle this trailer went. The conversation went back and forth a few times. Finally, I threatened to contact the insurance commission as well as the fraud division of the local police as well as my attorney to see if I could sue him personally as well as his company. I'll never forget his response... he laughed and said, "Calm down. I have a check for you right here on my desk and I'll get it into the mail this afternoon."

There is a REASON I hate insurance companies. This claim was just one small part of it.

Moral: READ YOUR POLICY. Be prepared to quote the policy to the adjuster. Do NOT take "No" for an answer if you think you have a shred of a chance to be covered whenever you file and insurance claim.

For all you know, dirt bikes and other "unregistered utility vehicles" (for use on your property) might be covered either under your homeowners or perhaps even yopur car insurance policy. Did you READ the policies? If a riding mower got stolen, would it be covered? If so, why? Would a vehicle "to ride the property lines" be covered likewise?

[manicmechanic]

My condolences on your loss. I hope it all works out in your favor, though.

Since moving into this neighborhood years ago, am now one of the "old-timers." I try to meet the new folks in the neighborhood and let them know we don't have much problem with crime, as we watch out for each other. But I tell them that, if in the middle of the night you hear a loud noise, followed by a knock on your door, just get dressed and bring a shovel.

[Grey Matter]

That is the worst news. Sorry man, try your home owners insurance.

[wanderer]

Tommy, I truly am sorry to hear about your theft and I don't think I can offer any advise that would help you out. I've had some major stuff ripped off and it just makes you sick. (By the way I'm an insurance agent for a major company for the last 20 years.) Y'all can hate me too if you like but maybe I have some usefull info for the cause. You may be able to get something back on your trailer, depends on your company, state, deductible, and value and type of trailer (from your homeowners policy if you have one.)
Now for some food for thought. I don't know if this applies with all insurance companies (I believe it does with most) but it sure does with the largest auto insurance company in the U.S. This applies to the idea of cancelling your coverage over the winter. First if you definately don't plan on a nice day midwinter ride, cancel all coverage EXCEPT comprehensive. That is the coverage that will pay if your bike is stolen or a building burns down around it. All homeowners policies I have ever seen exclude all "motorized land vehicles." There are some very narrowly defined exceptions like electric wheelchairs and "vehicles used SOLEY for the maintainence of the resident porperty." ( Pretty hard to claim if you own a bike trailer???) Bikes are meant to be covered with auto type policies (mostly cause they move and your house don't. Different needs.) Like it, hate it, but because you cancel a policy covering your stuff doesn't change other policies you have and pick up coverage elsewhere. Most items we own are designed to be covered under only one type of policy. Think about it. If your bike were covered under a motorcycle policy OR a homeowners policy we would all be paying premiums on both policies for theft so we could choose which one we wanted to file a claim on. My insurance is too damn high already, I don't need to pay for double coverage.
Secondly, and for this, a special apology to Tommy as this may be painful. You really don't save that much money by canceling your bike insurance over the winter with most insurance companies. Things like motorcycles, snowmobiles, and motorhomes are SEASONALLY ADJUSTED. That means insurers may only charge you (it's called earned premium) for 2% or 3% of your annual premium per month for your bike in the dead of winter months. Obviously it's just the opposite for snowmobiles. Heres what I'm saying, in the 6 months 'May through Sept.' vs. 'Oct thur April' your annual motorcycle policies are not being "used up" at the rate of 50% for the summer 6 and 50% for the winter 6. Your premium is being applies at something like 70% for the summer 6 and 30% for the winter 6. Actually each month has its own %. So the savings aren't that great and you kill the possibility of a nice January day 200 mile ride like I had last Saturday.
So.... before you all start loading your shotguns and heading for my house, YES I DO tell all my policyholders this information if they call in to cancel motorcycle or snowmoblie coverage for the off season. As I have said in other posts here, you really should have an agent that rides or at least throughly understands bikes.
Why didn't Tommy's AGENT tell him that? I'll leave that to each of you to decide. And finally 1 last time, I'm really sorry you lost your bikes Tommy, it really sucks.

[tommy]

Up-Date – of the 2 motorcycles & trailer I only had the 2005 bike insured – since the bike was paid for insurance wasn’t required so on the 19th of this month I dropped the insurance on the 2005 – I get up on the morning of the 20th & discover everything was gone I called the USAA insurance & ask if a person canceled a vehicle when does it go into effect – they said If I cancelled on the 19th it would go into effect at midnight the 19th – when my adjuster called he ask me when was the last time I saw the bike – I said at 8PM on the 19th – a week latter he calls me back & said since there was no way of proving if the bike was stolen on the 19th or the 20th that they would cover the claim! Now the bike is a 2005 with 30 miles on it how much do you guys think they will depreciate the bike for those 30 miles?

[tommy]

wanderer - i do have a question for you - i had a large box in the trailer - it had tools, helmets, draw bar ect in the box - since my trailer was licenced it's my understanding it's not covered - but i assume my box & tools would be covered under home owners - does it make a difference to insurance companies in gereral if the box was bolted to the trailer - if it's bolted does it become part of the trailer ?- t

[wanderer]

Tommy, That's great news!! USAA is a quality company. I would not expect them to depreciate at all. Most companies would not.
As far as a box bolted to the trailer, it's a tough question. Here's a few relevant things to know. ( I also handle claims on a daily basis.) Most homeowner's policies have coverage included for "utility trailers" most also cover them for up to $1,000. Now a flat bed trailer, like snowmobilers use, is a utility trailer. A dedicated rail bike trailer MAY not be considered a utility trailer. It DOES NOT not have to do with being registered (at least not with my company or others to my knowledge.) I would explain any and all other things I had used the trailer for OTHER THAN hauling motorcycles. For example, a boat trailer is pretty hard to call anything but a boat trailer. if you have plywood or whatever to use on your bike trailer to make a deck on it for other things it could well be considered a utility trailer.
Now for that box. If it's welded on, it is part of the trailer. If it's bolted on and you were to say, take it on and off depending on the season and other uses you have for that box then it is not part of the trailer. The way my company's policies read is that a motorcycle policy covers the bike and "ALL related equipmnent." So helmets are covered on the bike policy not on your homeowners. Tools are split. A 3/8 drive rachet and socket set is covered on your homeowners policy. The dedicated tool set under the seat is covered on the bike policy. A BMW oil filter wrench is on the bike policy. A set of metric allen wrenches is homeowners. Boats give an easy example. Water skis and anchors are covered on the boat policy as related equipment because they are hard as hell to use without the boat. The beer cooler and fishing poles are homeowners covered as they can easily be used without the boat. Motorcycle policies work the same way. And as I'm sure you can see, much depends on your honest answers given to the adjustor. Best of luck and don't forget if the trailer is covered under your homeowners policy you will have to pay the homeowners deductible.

[tommy]

The title for the trailer says utility trailer - maybe i will luck out - it wasn't a motorcycle rail type trailer - Hmmmmmmmmmm good stuff - thanks - tommy

I found out today that they arrested a guy about 20 miles from here - he admitted to stealing over 60 quads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "60!" - i guess he kept records - go figure - t

[RTRandy]

Tommy, That's a bad story. Sorry for your loss.

My son had a mint 80cc Honda dirt bike which he saved for by bagging groceries when he was 15. He left it outside the fence one afternoon on the side of our house and someone stole the thing. It was a real bummer at the time.

We actually got something under our home owners policy less the deductable which took the sting out of the situation. It's times like these when we wish we had a LowJack type system mounted on them. Wouldn't that be great to trace them right to the location where the theives have them stored ?

[tommy]

up-date - this morning i figured what the hell - i called USAA Insurance & ask the lady if my utility trailer was covered under my homeowners since it was used 99% of the time for work around the house - she said if it has a licence plate it had to be listed seperate on my policy - i told her that i was talking to an adjuster & that he felt it might be covered - she said i'll have a manager call you - one did with in 20 minutes - took all my information - and about an hour later she called me back & said i would have a check with-in 3 days - i thanked her and hung up -

i must give special thanks to Wanderer for all the good tips -

:twirl tommy :twirl

[wanderer]

Like a good neighbor, humm hummm humm hummmmm :groovy
I love a happy ending!!!!!

[tommy]

guy told me today he saw on TV last night where the cops busted a warehouse full of stolen bikes & quads (some on trailers Hmmmm) this was in Sacramento - would be nice to get a call for me to claim my stuff!