Need help with boat insurance I cant find liability insurance

[Whgoffrn]

Please anyone that can steer me in the right direction would be soooooooo grateful...... I've always wanted to buy a bigger boat than our macgregor 26 and just purchased on ebay a 39' cym trawler 1981....when asking the previous owners about how much insurance was they told me it was roughly 400 a year for liability....its a cheap boat I feel I got it on a steal at 17500 but now in checking insurance maritime insurance tells me the only reason the previous owner got liability on an older boat above 30 feet was that they got grandfathered in and say my only option is full coverage at well over 2k per year and I just cant afford it and without any insurance the two places.i wanted to keep it at in florida are the glades or indiantown require insurance and I absolutely hate the idea of my boat sitting on anchor 9 months of the year......if anyone can help please do I'm desperate for help with this insurance obstacle my number is 304 951 9096 ...any leads on cheaper liability insurance is appreciated more than you would know

[robertwcass]

BoatUS is Geico Marine. Good cheap insurance

[Whgoffrn]

Unfortunately they are the ones who said they cant do liability on a 1981 old 39' boat said it must be full coverage and want around 2k per year for a 17k dollar boat

[jeepers]

Originally Posted by Whgoffrn

Unfortunately they are the ones who said they cant do liability on a 1981 old 39' boat said it must be full coverage and want around 2k per year for a 17k dollar boat

What happened with your search? Successful?
Just found this thread as I am sourcing Insurance too. But for a project that needs to go into a boat yard.

[wildernessdave]

We are in the same situation, looking for liability only for a 36ft sailboat. We don't have a survey but need to find insurance so we can haul the boat out for a few months. Tried Boatus but won't insure because the boat is foreign built and doesn't have a HIN, progressive won't insure steel, others we have contacted require a survey.

Thanks for any advice.

[jeepers]

Many owner built boats don't have a HIN. Often a Registration number is carved into a prominent beam, or welded into the framing. I would suggest you try Markel Insurance but more importantly it is the Broker that can make a huge difference in your success. Interestingly Southern Ca. & Florida seem to have the best, go to Brokers. If you phone the Insurance company directly also ask for Independant Brokers information. It also helps if you have other insurance business to add to the policy. Have you enquired into a C&V ? (Condition & Value Survey) That is what is generally required for just Liability Insurance. The minimum.
There is a Youtube Channel. "Dawn Hunters". Captain William has his steel boat at a marina doing a refit in Florida. Maybe reach out to him

[jeepers]

Insurance on Cruisers Forum. Some good ideas embedded in these posts/threads.
There is over 20 pages of threads on CF regarding Insurance.

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ts-245130.html
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-a-247902.html
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...nce-231652.htm
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...rd-248621.html
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...at-245590.html
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ce-244731.html

[jr0d]

I have an issue with insurance, I don't have a valid Driver's Licence so no one will insure me even though I have 25 years+on the water with no incidents that Tow Boat couldn't help with.

I just need basic liability to dock a 23' sailboat....yet no one will insure me without a Driver's license(don't need one where I live...so haven't bothered reinstating it).

This tells me the under writers are clueless in risk assessment, I have seen them give folks with no experience ridiculous insurance coverage for almost nothing, yet will not insure someone of extremely low risk because of a technicality.

[taylormobile]

We have an old boat also - Try Markel Insurance

[hpeer]

Bumping this thread.

We have a 1987 44’ steel boat, liability only with Markel. $1,600/year.

Recently they had me fill out a guardinage plan for the boat while in yard layup.

Just now they have notified me they will require a:
1-out of water survey
2- a PROFESSIONAL rigging survey
3- no rigging over 15 years old

For LIABILITY only.

We have exchanged emails, this is not a mistake. They really want it.

I would like to consider alternatives if any are available.

[Capt D Scott]

I just insured A 1984 Hunter Legend 40 at state fall, full coverage for $1000 no survey needed

[Montanan]

Reality Check: A 41 year young vessel may be a real challenge to obtain liability insurance coverage. Rather an old man on the sea.

One needs to assess what scope of liability coverage you MUST have and what you might WANT to have.

The types of risk exposures are many and the potential claim values can easily be into the seven figures. Your vessel might not have cost much or have much hull value, but it's ability to cause harm and damage is greater than most because of its age. Paying $2K for liability coverage only is in the ballpark of expectations, maybe a bit high.

Many marinas will delineate the type of insurance coverage they require and the limits with the stipulation that they be listed as an additional insured and they may also delineate the credit rating of the underwriting company.

A primer:

WHAT DOES BOAT LIABILITY INSURANCE COVER?

Boat liability insurance, which also may be called watercraft liability coverage, typically contains two types of coverage:

Watercraft bodily injury liability coverage:
May help prevent you from paying out of pocket for medical bills and other related costs — like loss of income — when someone is injured in an accident you caused with your boat or personal watercraft.

Watercraft property damage liability coverage:

May help cover the costs of repairing or replacing another person's boat or property when you damage it in an accident with your boat. This type of coverage typically kicks in after a collision, but it may also help in other scenarios. For instance, if you have an accidental fuel spill that damages someone's property, watercraft liability insurance may help cover clean-up costs. Liability insurance may also help pay for wreckage removal if a covered boat accident requires raising, removing or towing your watercraft from the water.

It's important to note that boat liability insurance does not cover your medical bills or your boat repairs after an accident. You may want to look into medical payments coverage or boat property coverage for help with your own expenses after a boating accident.

HOW MUCH BOAT LIABILITY COVERAGE DO I NEED?

Boat liability coverage — like all insurance coverages — comes with a limit, which is the maximum amount an insurance company will pay toward a covered claim. When you're selecting your boat liability coverage limits, you may want to consider the following:

Could you afford to pay out of pocket for someone else's medical bills if you cause a boating accident that injures them?
If you accidentally damage someone's boat or other property with your own boat, could you afford to pay for their repairs?
Check with your insurance agent to see what liability coverage limits are available on your boat insurance policy. They can help you purchase the right amount of liability coverage for your situation. Keep in mind that higher boat liability coverage limits will likely increase the premium amount you pay.

For even greater protection, boat owners may want to consider purchasing a personal umbrella policy, which provides increased liability limits for your boat, beyond what's offered by a standard boat insurance policy. Umbrella coverage typically starts with a $1 million coverage limit.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by robertwcass

BoatUS is Geico Marine. Good cheap insurance

Garbage insurance. They discount repairs based on age. Read your policy or do a search on the forum.

[hpeer]

PLEASE NOTE:

I sail USA and Caribbean waters, I need CARIBBEAN COVERAGE.

Sorry, should have made that clear above.

So the likes if State Farm and Geico/Boat US are out unless they have changed coverage areas in the last few years.

In 2019 I applied to Panatreaus, but they had a hull value limit of something like greater than $300,000.

I am reaching out to Anjo/Massey in Antigua. They quoted me a few years ago.

[BuoyCall]

Originally Posted by jr0d

I have an issue with insurance, I don't have a valid Driver's Licence so no one will insure me even though I have 25 years+on the water with no incidents that Tow Boat couldn't help with.

I just need basic liability to dock a 23' sailboat....yet no one will insure me without a Driver's license(don't need one where I live...so haven't bothered reinstating it).

This tells me the under writers are clueless in risk assessment, I have seen them give folks with no experience ridiculous insurance coverage for almost nothing, yet will not insure someone of extremely low risk because of a technicality.

Where do you live that you do not need a driver's license?