Insurance

William Buckhurst:

Hello, Peter.

Are you looking for me?

Peter Wiles:

Yes, as a matter of fact I am.

Have you heard any more about the missing lorry while I've been away?

Buckhurst:

Yes, we have.

Andersons have just been on to me.

The vehicle insurers say the lorry is a complete write-off.

Peter:

I hope we're covered all right.

Buckhurst:

Yes, we are.

Peter:

What puzzles me is why they stole office furniture.

Buckhurst:

Well, apparently, it seems that the gang had been tipped off that a lorry belonging to Andersons would be coming through that way with a valuable load of cigarettes.

Peter:

Ah, that sounds more like it!

Buckhurst:

When Andersons' driver was approached by a man in the transport cafe he was asked what he was carrying.

He said it was a load of office desks and filing cabinets, but they must have thought he was lying for some reason.

Peter:

What happened to the driver?

Buckhurst:

It seems he was taken to a farm a long way from the main road and held there for several hours before the gang released him.

Then he had to walk six miles before he found a telephone and was able to get hold of the police.

Peter:

Did the police raid the farm?

Buckhurst:

Yes, they did.

But by that time, of course, the gang had left.

Peter:

What did they do with the lorry?

Buckhurst:

They took the brake off and let it go over the side of a steep hill!

It's a total wreck.

Peter:

What about our desks?

Buckhurst:

Well, now, apparently the insurance of the load is not so simple.

I informed our insurance brokers as soon as the theft was reported.

As you know, all goods delivered for us within the United Kingdom are covered by a blanket insurance policy.

Peter:

Who underwrote the policy?

Lloyds, wasn't it?

Buckhurst:

Yes, we're insured with a syndicate of Lloyds underwriters.

Someone from a firm of adjusters is going up to inspect the damaged goods tomorrow to give an opinion about their value.

Peter:

Well... what's the problem?

They won't make any difficulty about paying up, surely?

Buckhurst:

Well, it could be difficult.

Our insurers seem to think the desks and chairs may not be too badly damaged.

Peter:

I think someone from the firm ought to go up and give us an opinion of the damage.

I'd like to go up there myself and have a look.

Buckhurst:

Oh, but it's miles from a main road.

It's right up in the Moorland Valley.

Peter:

Well, I can't go, anyway.

I've got too much to do at the moment.

I'll get Christopher Thorn to go up, he's got a car...

(Christopher Thorn gets to Moorland Valley.)

Christopher Thorn:

Good morning.

Nice morning for a country drive, isn't it?

Oh, what a mess that lorry's in.

Roberts:

May I ask who you are and what your business is up here?

Christopher:

Well, I might ask you the same question.

Roberts:

My name is Roberts.

I represent Brown & Johnson, Insurance Adjusters.

I've been asked to investigate the damage to the load which this lorry was carrying.

Christopher:

Ah, how do you do.

My name is Thorn, I work for Harper & Grant.

Roberts:

Oh, yes, your firm is making the claim.

Christopher:

Well, let's have a look.

I was warned that the lorry doors might have jammed.

Roberts:

I don't think these filing cabinets are too badly damaged.

I think it should be possible to salvage the lot.

These dents could be quite easily knocked out, and these desks could be repainted.

Christopher:

Oh, I don't think I agree, Mr. Roberts.

Look at this chair, it's a complete write-off.

We'd never be able to repair that.

And the filing cabinets.

Look at them!

They must have been under water for some time.

They would have to be stripped down and completely repainted.

Roberts:

H'm, well, I think I might recommend payment of... seventy five per cent of the insured value...

Hello!

What's this piece of paper?

Christopher:

I should think it used to be stuck on the windscreen; it's come unstuck with the damp and...

What does it say?

Roberts:

'Drivers are warned that it is a serious offence against company regulations, as agreed with the General Workers' Union, to give lifts in this vehicle to any person not being an employee of Andersons Transport Company.'

You realise what this means?

Christopher:

Sorry, no, I don't.

Roberts:

Didn't the driver inform the police that he gave a lift to this man in the transport cafe?

Christopher:

Yes, I believe he did.

But I don't see...

Roberts:

I think your company will find, Mr. Thorn, that Andersons, the carriers, should be held responsible for any damage to their customers' goods in transit if the damage is caused by negligence on the part of the driver.

Of course, it will depend on the contract your firm has with Andersons, but I don't think your insurers need be liable at all.

TWENTY FOUR

The Firm Expands

(The meeting of the Welfare Committee is just about to begin.)