Don't think I would have plodded on IMC rating or not but as pointed out, we don't know the exact circumstances.
To put the boot on the other foot as it were I was flying in Yorkshire a couple of weeks ago when there was a big helicopter exercise on. I got up to Robin Hood's Bay and the infamous local 'Sea Fret' or thick sea fog rolled in. I told LARS I was going to climb to VMC on top and I had a variety of stations, including the LARS asking me about vis and cloud tops. Felt quite useful for once.