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Haulier is hit by insurance dispute by Rob Willock •

23rd April 1998, Page 9
23rd April 1998
Page 9
Page 9, 23rd April 1998 — Haulier is hit by insurance dispute by Rob Willock •
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A Devon haulier is on its knees after its insurer refused to pay out on a £7,000 claim for damage allegedly caused to its only vehicle by a tree branch in the road.

Julian Blight of WD Blight & Son claims that on 6 February he unavoidably drove the company's F-reg Foden 4350 over a tree branch in a country lane.

Three miles along the road the engine seized: it was later discovered that a coolant hose had come off. Blight claims the branch caused the seizure, but his insurer, NFU Mutual, says engineers' reports show the coolant hose was not properly fixed. It has rejected the claim.

The decision rests on whether the damage was accidental or whether it can be attributed to wear and tear. NFU Mutual says: "The burden of proof is on the policy holder and, in this instance, Mr Blight's story is just a theory."

But Blight's local maintenance supplier, Fast Lane Motors, has called the insurer's engineer's report "contradictory and altogether doubtful".

Blight says: "Only the fact that we run a farm has stopped us going under. We've been within a couple of hours of losing our main haulage contract—it's still in the balance."


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