LinkedIn comments
As soon as this article was published on the IIMS LinkedIn feed earlier in the year, it had over 5,000 impressions and drew a number of interesting comments. Here’s a selection.
As an underwriting agent we rely on reports from our surveyors not a tick box. It is essential for risk analysis. Unbelievably in our sector (pleasure craft) we still compete against a few insurers who allow owner to carry out own tick box survey.
As to how in the event of a dispute Financial Ombudsman views if a layman survey ticks all the boxes is not easy to say. In my opinion though any insurer accepting a tick box survey of any description has no grounds to decline any incident such as the bilge pump situation described.
Yes, we need to standardize but not tick box. Always engage a professional.
Good article to read. Ian Crumpen, Managing Director at Nautical Insurance Services Ltd.
“Owner to carry out own tick box survey”. I have come across these. If the seacock box was ticked, what happens if the boat sinks due to long-term corrosion and subsequent failure of one seacock? Will the insurer decline the claim, stating that the insured provided false information? I recently investigated a burnt-out vessel. The claim was turned down as the insured had ticked the box to say that they had a recent survey report, which they hadn’t!
Nic Fieldhouse
Very interesting article and comments, thank you all. I have been privileged to read a lot of surveyors’ reports as part of my work on the Professional Assessment Committee of the IIMS. Reports written by both newly qualified and very experienced surveyors looking to upgrade their membership or add new specialisations to their experience portfolio. These reports come from all around the world and often reflect a regional style that varies considerably from country to country.
It is a truism to state that it is as important to get a tick box report ‘right’ as it is for a free text report. Both demand an appropriate level of surveying technique and scrutiny but differ in the writing and proofreading skills needed to be effective. It is a common failure of the surveyor to properly identify, record and communicate their observations and conclusions regardless of which style of report they (and their market) prefer. Poor report layout, grammar, limited vocabulary and spelling errors plague many of the reports I have seen. Every error reduces the credibility of the report and may leave the surveyor open to a claim.
David Pestridge
Thanks Mike and Peter for your insight highlighting “tick box” and its negative implications. As alluded, inexperienced inspectors and untrained surveyors are often practicing “tick box” mostly through checklist documents. Have witnessed such “tick box” practices by several small boat operators in an unregulated surveying industry.
Derek Saru
Clients are investing a lot of money in their purchases often for the first time. Tick box reports fail these clients who surely should be given the maximum information and service coupled with the knowledge and experience of the surveyor. No tick box reporting from me.
William Castelton
A very good article. The lack of clarity of a vessel’s condition isn’t in anyway helpful. Having seen an incident following the Class approval (box ticked) on a watertight door, which failed shortly after departing the shipyard, it shows that factual, accurate, detailed and clear reporting is essential.
Andrew Jameson THE REPORT | MAR 2024 | ISSUE 107 | 45
When a tick box type of report is submitted to a client, it is a fairly good sign that the surveyor is one of the following:
a. Stupid (too stupid to realise the risks that they are taking - the sort of risks described in Peter and Mike’s article).
b. Daft (poor technical knowledge, poor report writing skills, etc).
c. Too cheap (they need to get the survey published quickly so that they can get on with their next
cheap survey, the only way to make a living when you’re cheap).
d. Lazy. e. Greedy. f. Not enjoying their profession.
g. Or a combination of all of these.
h. Stupid (see ‘a’ above). Name withheld
There is nothing wrong with using a tick box report format as a checklist. The art is in drafting the questions in such manner that the essential information is being obtained. That’s where the quality is, exactly the same as with conventional style reporting. Besides the checklist, there should be sufficient opportunity for the surveyor to add comments, remarks, deficiencies, and observations. What we have to realize is that the quality of a report depends on the information it provides, not on the word count.
Hans de Koning
I’m sure everything has its place. I’ll stick to writing my surveys. I find myself being able to accurately describe what I’m seeing, not a drop-down box that is close. This article is a great read. Thank you for your time.
Race Turner
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