Anyone deal with UHaul on filing a claim?

[Schadenfreude]

Anyone have any experience dealing with Uhaul and filing a clim with their company for getting damages reimbursed?

I was hauling a motorcycle in one of their trucks, with the tie-downs I also bought from the store, when I hear a loud crash only to realize that the rail on the side of the truck got ripped off the wall of the truck effectively laying my new bike :| - it's not a big bike by any means, but I tied it down like to the lower rails for the rest of the trip and it held up.

If you look at the picture, there's some obvious rust running down the side to the rail where became undone - I've dropped off the bike at the shop and told the guy that the damage on the right side (broken tach/tach cover, small quarter-sized dents on the tank, broken rear turn signal lights) was an insurance estimate.

Now, the thing is, I did not buy property insurance from them: but the damage incurred is not from my negligence, it's from theequipment malfunction - or is it?

I've filed a claim against U-Haul's insurance company, Western Republic Insurance - and personally, I work in auto claims - so I've had my deals with substandard insurance companies - my fellow ATOT'ers; did any of you encounter a similar problem? What was your encounter with them like?

here's the cliffs version

cliff notes:
- hauling a motobike using a U-Haul truck
- side rail which OP tied bike to came off, laying the bike
- OP did not buy property protection, but thinks this is not due to OP's negligence, but rather equipment malfunction
- OP filed claim against U-Haul
- Possibility of getting anything back?

 

[Rudee]

I had a similar experience with U haul about 8 years ago when a dolly broke loose from it's plastic tie and damaged a coffee table. When I spoke to U Haul about the issue they told me it was my responsibility to check over the inside of the truck for possible issues prior to loading in my furniture. I didn't bother making a big fuss about it and nothing legal wise was pursued.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Originally posted by: Rudee
I had a similar experience with U haul about 8 years ago when a dolly broke loose from it's plastic tie and damaged a coffee table. When I spoke to U Haul about the issue they told me it was my responsibility to check over the inside of the truck for possible issues prior to loading in my furniture. I didn't bother making a big fuss about it and nothing legal wise was pursued.

Well, for one thing, their customer service sucks - my experience with UHaul was less than optimal, I can say that for sure - and on top of that, I don't want to be dinged for the rails falling off, and that's something I'd have to fix if I want to ride, you know?

 

[imported_weadjust]

Looking at the pics. I'm guessing that uhaul will tell you that the side rails are there to protect your furniture and the side walls of the truck while in transit.

The side rails are not to be used for tie downs for heavy objets such as a motorcycle. It was your responsibility to secure the bike and your claim will be denied.

Uhaul will probably want you to pay for the damages you caused to their truck by negligent use of side rails.

 

[K1052]

UScrewed

 

[drnickriviera]

Wow, what a horrible job strapping that bike down. That bike weights what? 400lbs? Going around a corner you put all that weight on 1 strap. I would have pushed the bike all the way forward and used 1-2 straps to hold it there, then 4 straps on the sides.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: drnickriviera
Wow, what a horrible job strapping that bike down. That bike weights what? 400lbs? Going around a corner you put all that weight on 1 strap. I would have pushed the bike all the way forward and used 1-2 straps to hold it there, then 4 straps on the sides.

I didn't want to be the one to say it. Those straps could be plenty strong enough, but 2 is not enough to prevent the bike from falling over. The back wheel can slide around wherever it wants. It just needed to twist far enough so that it could fall over.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Originally posted by: drnickriviera
Wow, what a horrible job strapping that bike down. That bike weights what? 400lbs? Going around a corner you put all that weight on 1 strap. I would have pushed the bike all the way forward and used 1-2 straps to hold it there, then 4 straps on the sides.

That was all the straps they had at the Uhaul store; believe you/me, otherwise I would've tied that motherfvcker down like some ancient egyptian mummy-sh!t.

Well, it did turn out that they denied my claim for th reasons stated above . . . and the funny part was, I told the girl clerk (it turns out she was the asst. manager of the store) that I rented the truck from that I was hauling the bike and she didn't bat an eye (no point in turning the blame, I know and I admit full ignorance, but dang) . . ..

 

[RKS]

Don't use u-haul for motorcycles