Burnt Bowls

[Donny Lawson]

As most of you know my shop burnt a few weeks ago and I was wondering about the unfinished bowls that was drying in the loft of the shop. Do you think I should ask for something for them(as far as Ins. purpose) or should I just take my loss and start over? I had about 30 of them and most was around 8-9 inches accross and 4-5 inches high.If so what would roughed out bowls go for? They were spalted maple,walnut,pecan and a few others but nothing exotic. They were more or less found wood but beautiful bowls.
Donny

[Sean Hughto]

What would it cost to replace them? Well, if you had to by 30 blanks of those species at that size, I'd guess at least $10 a piece. If you then had to pay someone to rough them out, add another $5 each (1/2 hour lathe time at minimum wage). So you might claim $400 to $500. Rough outs (and blanks of course) are sold on eBay, so you could point to some of those as showing what the blanks were worth (i.e., you could have sold them on eBay and made at lest a few hundred or looked at the other way, you could replace them by goin on eBay and buying them).

[David E Keller]

I would absolutely claim them, and I would claim any unturned blanks as well. IMO, the purpose of your insurance is to 'make you whole'. You shouldn't be ashamed or embarrassed to claim anything that was inside the shop.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Donny, if you have a partially completed piece of furniture that you were making you would want to claim it. Even though it was "found" wood you put sweat equity into it and added value to it. To replace it it will take someone's time, effort and resources (saw, fuel, etc). Found does NOT equal free.

Claim it, especially since you are getting squeezed on other coverage. Insurance companies (often) will look for every opportunity to deny coverage, often based on carefully worded technicalities written into your policy, so there is nothing wrong with asking for coverage of legitimate possesions of yours. Advocate for yourself my friend.

[Donny Lawson]

I did have a partially finished entertainment center that I claimed. She told me about a week ago that I could claim everything down to nails and screws and I did just that. I even claimed some mouse traps in the corner so I figure unfinished bowls are no different.She told me today that they would pay for a dumpster so I could throw things away I didn't need.Plus if I wanted to do the cleaning myself or pay someone else to do it. That's covered too.I just have to get her a price on about how much time it will take and Fax her a quote.I think I will pay myself to clean it up but I have NO idea about the price quote to give her.Maybe I'll come up with something.
Donny

[Michael James]

Donny, I know there's an echo in the room.. but I would go to any supplier or ebay for the going rate of the pieces you lost. Buy them where you FOUND them or keep the $ for gas to look for other resources. That is totally your discretion. It sounds like they are not wringing you as hard as you first feared they might.
Choose the option you want to live with from their menu.
my .02
Michael

[Van Huskey]

Did the insurance company ever send you a letter saying "we feel generous, don't bother paying this month?" You are not trying to cheat them, they had actual value and now they are gone...