From: edlee@gandalf.ca (Ed Lee)
Subject: Re: Request and Warning
Organization: Gandalf Data Ltd.
Distribution: can
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 14:58:50 GMT

>|> P.S. Just in case you didn't know, if you have house/tenant insurance you're
>|> likely covered for the theft (but usually with a $200 deductible).

A friend of mine got her skis stolen at Mt.Tremblant on Jan 3rd.
She filed a police report with the QPP and now has a brand new set
of skis.  Actually, she got new boots, poles, skis & bindings for
a mere $200 (deductible).

>I plan to go skiing shortly and I paid less than $200 for my used skis.

My friend's skis were about 1 year old and been used less than 6
times; so they look pretty new.  From what I've heard (of others
getting their skis stolen), the thieves will usually go for skis
that are in good condition and fairly attractive (next to no
scratches, colourful/loud, good quality bindings) in order to get
a good 're-sale' value.  Most theives will take several pairs of
skis, all about the same length and boot size (binding distance),
and interchange the bindings immediately prior to resale.  Spotting
your stolen skis is almost like trying to find your contact lens in
a swimming pool.

My advice is that if your skis are worth less than $200, don't
waste your money on a lock; thieves will never take them.  And if
they do, you can get a brand new pair for $200.  Before people
start jumping up and down screaming that this is a scam, just let
me say that it has something to do with the replacement cost of
the stolen items.  More likely, what was stolen may be unique and
cannot be perfectly replaced and the cost of the effort could
exceed the cost of a new comparable substitute.

For example:  If your house got broken into (heaven forbid!!) and
they took your, say, VCR; the insurance co. will give you the MSRP
of a brand new late model VCR with about the same features less
the deductible, regardless of the age of the old VCR.  The ins.
co. isn't about to go advertize for a VCR of certain brand from a
certain model year and hope that someone would actually sell them
such a one.  And the money spent on advertizing and the man-power
required is not cost effective.  Skis works the same way.  Cars
don't; since there is already an established used car market, but
not for almost everything else.

I bought a ski lock when I bought my K2 KVC about 5 years ago.
These days, I never use the lock; I don't even bother separating
my skis when I go inside (like most of my friends who have fairly
new skis).  These skis have been thoroughly abused; busted tracks,
patched base, scratches all over the top sheet.  I wish they'd
taken my skis instead of my friends.  Those skis when new were
worth $700 without the bindings since they were the top of the
line K2s.  Of course, that's not what I paid for them!!  :-)

And if you don't have the $200 for the deductible, some stores
will even try to work out a deal for you anyways :-)  Mind you
that this is NOT EXACTLY LEGAL but commonly practiced.  Cascade
is not the only place notorious for thefts.

edly
----
C. Edward Lee              CAnet: edlee@gandalf.ca
Gandalf Data Limited       Voice: (613) 723-6500 x 8787
Nepean, Ontario              Fax: (613) 226-1717
Canada  K2E 7M4

"I see nothin', I hear nothin', I say nothin'"
Newsgroups: ott.general