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Saturday, November 9, 2013

British hurdler Andy Turner's house burgled.. something on Insurance

Andrew Steven "Andy" Turner is an English track and field athlete, competing in the 110 metres hurdles, and occasionally the 100 and 200 metres sprints as well as long jump. He is the current European and Commonwealth Champion at 110 m hurdles. Turner competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics, but failed to progress beyond the heats. Andy Turner represented Great Britain for a second time at the 2008 Summer Olympics and reached the quarter-finals stage.

He is in news for wrong reasons as the Olympic athlete has been left 'devastated' after his house was burgled during his mother's funeral. Daily Mail and other news agencies report that the hurdler, had his white Range Rover sport and a Macbook laptop taken from his home in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Police believe he was deliberately targetted  after he publicised the cremation on social media because his mother 'would have wanted people at the funeral'. The thieves also took away two iPhones and a personalised Nike bag

His mother, Yvonne Turner died suddenly from a stroke on October 29 aged  58. Andy, 33, had to cut short the funeral after a neighbour phoned to say his car was missing from outside the family home. Reports suggest that when he arrived he found the house had been ransacked, and while his medals were still there, other valuable possessions were gone. Police believe Andy was targetted by thieves after he advertised the cremation on social media.  Shortly afterwards the athlete tweeted: 'A car is replaceable but I had my last photos with my mum alive on my phone and laptop, that's what hurts the most.' The car, which has a personalised numberplate made to look like '110 RUN' was later found dumped in Bilborough; however - two iPhones belonging to his mother, along with his personalised Nike bag, are still missing.

Speaking to The Sun, Andy said: 'I feel sickened. Mum was my biggest fan - she was always at my races, always supporting me. 'I've had to put my three daughters in a hotel because they're too scared to stay in the house.' The athlete had already tweeted that his mother's untimely death was 'the worst end to the worst eight days of my life'.

Andy was widely tipped for success at the Olympics after winning a bronze medal at the World Championships in Deagu in 2011, but crashed out in the semis after being held back by injuries. He had previously competed in the 2004 and 2008 Games. The Nottingham-born athlete is the third fastest British sprint hurdler of all time behind Colin Jackson and Tony Jarrett and won gold medals at both the Commonwealth Games and European Athletics Championships in 2010.

Burglary is heinous crime –Punishment is a deterrent, besides the wrong-doer must be punished for the offence committed and for handing out proper punishments – the Law and its enforcement should be strong.

One of the Insurance coverage for property is against loss caused by burglary.  Burglary is defined as the ‘crime of breaking into and entering a building with the intention to commit a felony.’  At common law burglary is primarily an offense against the security of habitation, and need  not be against the property as such! ~ the criminal law of the country does not speak of an offence called burglary.

Burglary  insurance has been a standard insurance product for long.  The Package Policies floated by many Insurers do extend sectional coverage against burglary.  This insurance provides indemnity in respect of loss of or damage to any part of the property insured whilst within the premises as a direct result of burglary happening during the  period of insurance.  The policy interprets ‘burglary’ as to mean actual theft or an attempt thereat

a)  accompanied by an actual forcible and violent entry into or exit from any building at the premises or
b)  following assault or violence to any person  or threat thereof.

The Policy has some exclusions too…  all policies expect the Insured to be prudent and not contribute to the loss in any manner… this policy excludes ‘where such loss or damage has been expedited or any way assisted or brought about by any such person or persons’

The circumstances of Andy for sure may not fall within the said exclusion, but still people have to wary of the usage of social networking sites and not become a sitting duck

With regards – S Sampathkumar

News & photo courtesy : www.dailymail.co.uk

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