Gedling raid club devastated after £9,000 claim is refused
A NOTTS football club says it is devastated after insurers refused a £9,000 claim after a break-in.
Carlton Town FC, based in Stoke Lane, Gedling, was broken into on Friday, August 3. Troy Jenkins, 38, of Lenton, and James Welsh, 37, of Dunkirk, both pleaded guilty to theft, after they were caught on the club's CCTV cameras.
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Troy Jenkins, 38, of Lenton, and James Welsh, 37, of Dunkirk, both pleaded guilty to theft when they appeared at Nottingham Crown Court
They were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on September 4. Jenkins received a three-year prison sentence and Welsh got 18 months after the club was ransacked, stock taken from the bar, pool tables and quiz machines smashed and sockets ripped from walls.
A new kit and a charity box were also stolen. The club wanted to claim £9,000 from its insurers Everest Underwriting, expecting a payout of £8,000 following excess. But the firm rejected the claim. It argued that because the club's nominated contact person for the alarm system was in Wales when the burglary happened he was unable to take "reasonable precautions" to safeguard the property.
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Club chairman Mick Garton said: "I was pretty low after the incident itself, but this has just rubbed salt into the wounds.
"The fact the criminals are behind bars and unable to rob other properties means we have saved other insurance payouts which would no doubt have followed if they had continued with their crime spree.
"The fact they were caught due to our fantastic CCTV system, which is not even an insurance condition, makes the decision even harder to accept. We have been devastated by this. We are mostly made up of volunteers at the club who put in our own time and money. We are a community football club.
"We are left in a position where we have got to work harder than we already do to try to raise money to pay invoices.''
Mr Garton said the club had appealed against the decision but was told it had been rejected. Commercial manager Tim Harris said: "In 20 years involved in football, this is the most devastating decision I can remember. It's difficult enough trying to raise money in this economic climate and now having to make up this shortfall, I can't quite believe it."
Everest said in its letter that the intruders had cut the alarm line, prompting a call to Bob Sharpe, the club's nominated keyholder, at 11.20pm.
They say Mr Sharpe, who checked CCTV images on his phone in Wales, should have attended the club site immediately and could have prevented further damage.
They say because he had failed to do so he was in breach of general condition 10, which "stipulates that all reasonable precautions should be taken to safeguard the property and mitigate loss."
No one from Everest was available for comment.
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Comments
by rozzy23
Tuesday, November 20 2012, 12:37AM
“as a pub manager that stays on sight i must say that i am absolutely flabergasted! our company policy is that under no circumstances do you put yourself at risk and that you should remain upstairs/ offsite until the police have arrived and ensured secure.
If the keyholder had attended (to prevent more damage) this could have been a story of an aggravated burglary or worse!
What kind of insurance claim would have to be made then? or would they claim neglagance?
This is insane, can the courts not do anything?”
by safetywatto
Monday, November 19 2012, 3:28PM
“Ridiculous and frivolous reason to reject their claim. They need to take this to the Insurance Ombudsman immediately. I will be amazed if he doesn't reject Everest's attempts to weasel their way out of paying.”
by AandSH
Monday, November 19 2012, 3:18PM
“Scamming Bar Stewards, people with an insurance policy from Everest should cancel it, they are paying money for nothing it seems.”
by AandSH
Monday, November 19 2012, 3:18PM
“Scamming Bar Stewards, people with an insurance policy from Everest should cancel it, they are paying money for nothing it seems.”
by AandSH
Monday, November 19 2012, 3:14PM
“Perhaps if everyone that has insurance with Everest cancelled their policy, they would have no choice but to re think their decision process. Insurance Companies are ripping off everyone, they always have a reason not to pay out.”
by Neo_MadBadger
Monday, November 19 2012, 1:30PM
“Spot on Bill. Are the insurance company really expecting the keyholder to attend the scene while the break-in is occurring and risk injury if the criminals attack him when he tries to prevent further damage? I assume that if the keyholder viewed the cctv images on his phone he called the police. So, as the keyholder would not likely attend on their own having seen the images of two criminals ransacking the place, it does not matter whether he was in Wales or Gedling. I hope that the insurance company revisit their decision.”
by NeilT60
Monday, November 19 2012, 1:10PM
“So the insurance company are saying that one individual has to be available to attend the club 24-7 all year round? That person had better not have a job, holidays, or any sort of life at all, then!”
by the-crossed
Monday, November 19 2012, 1:10PM
“I have travel insurance through my bank and whilst on holiday in the states this August my prescription glasses broke.
I had to shell out £348.00 (when converted from dollars) for a new pair and when I got home I put in a claim.
The money (less £50.00 excess) was credited to my account in two days so not all insurance companies are bad...or maybe I was just lucky?”
by tempusfugit
Monday, November 19 2012, 12:45PM
“All the insurance companies lend you a brolly on a bright summers day then want it back when it rains!!!!”
by DunkirkPie
Monday, November 19 2012, 12:29PM
“Very sad story, but unfortunately it seems that there is precious little point in taking out insurance these days. In the event of a claim the insurance company will usually manage to weasel out of paying up, citing a technicality or some incomprehensible small-print in the 100-page booklet of terms and conditions.
The insurance industry in this country no longer does what it is supposed to do, i.e. spread risk. I really hope that the next media witch-hunt involves these guys. For my money they're worse than the bankers, MPs, journalists and BBC put together!”