Up in smoke

TheCougar

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So here is how our 2024 season got started yesterday, on our way back from a NC camping trip.

Luckily no one was hurt, and I managed to eventually disconnect the truck. 100+ rounds of ammo were popping off at the back of the trailer while I was disconnecting it. I kept thinking “what a way to get shot” while I was getting the dog out of the kennel and disconnecting the trailer. Thanks to the two rig drivers who stopped and helped with bigger extinguishers to allow me to get to the hitch. Lost the quad, the trailer, and about 5k worth of gear.

I’ve got no idea how it started, but it happened fast. By the time someone honked at me and I was at a complete stop 60” later, it was too late.

This is going to cost me. Three separate policy deductibles: my HO for personal property, a vehicle policy for the ATV, and my buddy’s policy for the trailer. Add in Pennies-on-the-dollar that I’ll get for all the gear and vehicles means that this is going to be a tall bill to replace everything. A second order effect is turning my son’s MT elk tag back in to pay for part of it, which he is bummed about. He understands though, which is a blessing.

I wish I had a lesson learned, but I don’t know why it happened or what I could have done differently. I think if anything, I’ll upgrade my extinguisher size (the small one was worthless) and get a second extinguisher for the trailer (which I didn’t have).


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11boo

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Dang that hurts. Bearing on trailer overheating?
Maybe not the bearing? Looks like the ATV or something on the trailer started it.
 
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TheCougar

TheCougar

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Dang that hurts. Bearing on trailer overheating?
Maybe not the bearing? Looks like the ATV or something on the trailer started it.
Looks like it started in a gear bin. Several high power headlamps, etc. can’t think of anything else.
 

Ucsdryder

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Damn, that sucks! 😞

I need to put a fire extinguisher in my truck.
 
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Damn, what a bummer. On the plus side, at least you got that truck unhitched in time and nobody got hurt (other than your wallet).
 

BLJ

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That’s a bad deal for sure. If you do t mind me asking, what gear did you and your lose?
 
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TheCougar

TheCougar

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If there are any insurance guys here: my HO and ATV is not covering the trailer, which was my friends trailer and didn’t have a separate policy. Not only is it not covered, but I’ll probably have to pay the tow fee, etc for it now.
 
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If there are any insurance guys here: my HO and ATV is not covering the trailer, which was my friends trailer and didn’t have a separate policy. Not only is it not covered, but I’ll probably have to pay the tow fee, etc for it now.
I'm fairly certain the trailer should fall under your vehicle policy since it was being towed by your vehicle. I had an accident where a vehcile ran into a trailer I was towing and my auto insurance covered the repairs. Hopefully someone else can chime in...
 

11boo

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This is one of the running theories.
Definitely a thing. Something metal bridges the + and - terminal, fuses itself to the terminals and off to the race.

I had an electrician working for me start a fire in the bed of his truck that way.
He was hauling a load of job trash to a dumpster, along with a couple of “dead” 12v batteries. A scrap of conduit bridged the batteries with predictable results on the load of cardboard he had. Fortunately we had 20 lb extinguishers.

Worst part is, I told him to tape off the positive terminals in case. He didn’t, because they were dead lol.
 
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TheCougar

TheCougar

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That’s a bad deal for sure. If you do t mind me asking, what gear did you and your lose?
Some really nice shooting and camping gear, all the camping and hunting clothes except for what was in my bag, some electronics, huge cooler, etc. Just replacing the sleeping pads and the backpacking tent is over 1k easy.
 
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TheCougar

TheCougar

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Some really nice shooting and camping gear, all the camping and hunting clothes except for what was in my bag, some electronics, huge cooler, etc. Just replacing the sleeping pads and the backpacking tent is over 1k easy.
It’s my hunting camp stuff, and I spend enough time in it that we invested in some good stuff. It’s just stuff - it can be replaced.
 
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TheCougar

TheCougar

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I'm fairly certain the trailer should fall under your vehicle policy since it was being towed by your vehicle. I had an accident where a vehcile ran into a trailer I was towing and my auto insurance covered the repairs. Hopefully someone else can chime in...
This is what I thought. I would assume the trailer and personal contents would be covered by my auto insurance. The ATV would be covered by its insurance. This doesn’t make a sense, and the story I’m getting is literally the most expensive way to pay for it
 

Will_m

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Get a lawyer. It won’t cost you anything to reach out to one and they will get ahead of any issues. With it being such a small claim (to insurance) a lawyer will cost them more to deal with than it will cost them to pay the claim.
 

CorbLand

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This is what I thought. I would assume the trailer and personal contents would be covered by my auto insurance. The ATV would be covered by its insurance. This doesn’t make a sense, and the story I’m getting is literally the most expensive way to pay for it
Did you talk to your agent or the insurance rep? I have found my agent "cares" about me far more than the reps ever have.
 
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