I Want to Give a Good Mention for IMIS Marine Insurance and to C F !

[Geoff H.]

I got a crappy letter and then had a phone conversation with my insurance carrier. They wanted to know when I was going to be coming back to the good old US of A. I answered honestly that I wasn't necessarily planning on doing that, or not doing that, that I'm currently cruising and when I get to Panama I'll have to figure out whether to turn right or left, and really had no idea when I'd be heading "home." That didn't work for them at all and they cancelled me then and there (with 30 days notice). (No claims here ever, had a boat for 30+ years, always insured.) I re-submitted a past request for a quote to a large brokerage in the Alameda area who I had gotten a good and affordable quote from just before setting south, but after a long back and forth it was determined that my boat was now "too old," (I'm talking 18 mo's since their last quote when there wasn't a problem at all); they now offered me a Lloyd's/London quote that was extremely expensive. I started to really do some thinking and looking, including really thinking about just going without insurance.
Then I went on Cruiser's Forum, read a bunch of old postings, came across someone's suggestion to another member to look at IMIS Marine Insurance, which I now did, and was passed to the owner/president on the first phone call, and had comprehensive, affordable insurance within the week. So a big thanks to Cruiser's Forum.... AGAIN, and to IMIS, who have been really great.

[smallpockets]

Hi Geoff H.

I'm currently looking at IMIS. Are you still satisfied with their coverage and prices? Is it not a requirement to travel with insurance? Is there anyone else you would recommend I look into for worldwide insurance? Thanks for your help!

[sailorboy1]

You aren't really with IMIS, they are just a broker.

But I was with them for 6 years and 2 boats, never had a claim, and my policy went went like 10% each year the last couple of years. So this year I shopped it and got more cover for a 20% lower price.

I think boat insurance companies are just like car insurance companies, they will keep raising their current customers pricing betting they wouldn't change.

[Scott Berg]

IMIS is indeed a broker and a very good one. They represent a range of domestic and international companies. They have also designed a policy underwritten by Markel called the "Jackline" that is very flexible and provides many of the benefits of homeowners insurance for full time cruisers without a shoreside home. The founder and President, Al Golden, is a former cruiser founded the company after swallowing the anchor to provide a level of service he couldn't find when he and his family was ocean cruising. I've been a customer for 20+ years. They've placed me with different companies as needed. The best service I've ever had from an insurance broker... (my only relationship is as a customer).

[smallpockets]

Hey sailorboy1 who'd you end up going with? I'm hoping IMIS gives me a good deal, they seem great to work with. Thanks for the info guys.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Scott Berg

IMIS is indeed a broker and a very good one. They represent a range of domestic and international companies. They have also designed a policy underwritten by Markel called the "Jackline" that is very flexible and provides many of the benefits of homeowners insurance for full time cruisers without a shoreside home. The founder and President, Al Golden, is a former cruiser founded the company after swallowing the anchor to provide a level of service he couldn't find when he and his family was ocean cruising. I've been a customer for 20+ years. They've placed me with different companies as needed. The best service I've ever had from an insurance broker... (my only relationship is as a customer).

Yep, ditto. We're in our 20th (or so) year with Al's crew, too. Various underwriters over that period...

-Chris

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by smallpockets

Hey sailorboy1 who'd you end up going with? I'm hoping IMIS gives me a good deal, they seem great to work with. Thanks for the info guys.

I ended up with a Brewer (the marina group where I keep the boat in season) preferred policy from New Hampshire Insurance Company I got from the Gowrie Group.

[AnchorageGuy]

We used IMIS for many years. Then they became unresponsive when I tried to get questions answered over the phone and getting quotes began to take a long time. The last contact I had got me quotes quite a bit higher than I could find for the exact same coverage using another broker. We are now using Jack Martin and Associates and have excellent coverage, for much less than quoted by IMIS, for the area we boat in. And that might be an important factor in who you use. Chuck