Insurance no longer covers sailboat racing

[Dr. D]

BoatUS/Geico used to cover sailboats engaged in racing, though excluded powerboats. Starting with this renewal that has been changed. No boats are covered while racing.

Except if you buy an endorsement for racing. Mine will be 2/3 of the insurance cost. No thanks.

[Knotical]

Maybe due to events like this - https://youtu.be/6zDnvwogPIc?si=Ed_5g1_uJXmjDRaQ

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Knotical

Maybe due to events like this - https://youtu.be/6zDnvwogPIc?si=Ed_5g1_uJXmjDRaQ

If you didn't know any better you'd think it was a rookie who's never helmed a boat with a rudder. They were close, and could have easily turned to port, but no....last second he turns to stbd and collides with the committee boat.

Reminds me of my wife when she first started driving tiller steered dinghy's. She kept pushing the tiller to the side she wanted to turn.

[wholybee]

I raced my boat for one season. Absolutely never again, and I was always baffled that insurance would allow racing, but not my sailing to Hawaii. Ironically, they only agreed to cover my sail to Hawaii when they learned it was a race. Nuts.

Every year there are multiple boats in SF that are total losses due to collisions. And there are hundreds of near misses. I was involved in a near miss that by the rules of navigation would have been my fault. Just too much happening too fast and too much to process, about 6 boats converging on one spot with very little room to maneuver. The stand on vessel turned at the last second and we missed by inches. That was when I decided it wasn't for me.

Anyway, I don't think there is any room to complain for an insurance company not wanting to cover racing. Racing is a specialized and high risk activity.

[sandy stone]

Originally Posted by Shrew

They were close, and could have easily turned to port, but no....last second he turns to stbd and collides with the committee boat.

My take is that the boat rounded up in a puff, and the mainsheet trimmer failed to ease it in time. Some gentle urging from the helmsman might have woken him up.

[leecea]

Even if the boat had not turned it looked like people on the rail were at risk of having their legs turned into fenders.

[Thomas1985]

Originally Posted by wholybee

I raced my boat for one season. Absolutely never again, and I was always baffled that insurance would allow racing, but not my sailing to Hawaii. Ironically, they only agreed to cover my sail to Hawaii when they learned it was a race. Nuts.

Every year there are multiple boats in SF that are total losses due to collisions. And there are hundreds of near misses. I was involved in a near miss that by the rules of navigation would have been my fault. Just too much happening too fast and too much to process, about 6 boats converging on one spot with very little room to maneuver. The stand on vessel turned at the last second and we missed by inches. That was when I decided it wasn't for me.

Anyway, I don't think there is any room to complain for an insurance company not wanting to cover racing. Racing is a specialized and high risk activity.

If I want to sail to Hawaii I’m not going to ask progressive for permission. Insurance is just a fee assessed to allow access to marinas. If I sink over 75 miles offshore and survive I’ll just buy another boat.

I agree on the races though. Look like a mess to me… I’ll stick to cruising.

[MVMisty]

Originally Posted by Knotical

Maybe due to events like this - https://youtu.be/6zDnvwogPIc?si=Ed_5g1_uJXmjDRaQ

That actually happened to me once when I was the committee boat. Excuses but no apology.

[DEAN2140]

My insurer, Allstate, insures incidents that occur in a race. Several years ago, I was hit by a port tack boat while approaching a mark on starboard. Damages exceeded $20k. The carrier settled with the other boat though I did lose my $500 deductible. I didn't lose my insurance or have an increase in premium. That said, if you are at fault (which I was not) it is best not to make a claim because the carrier will probably drop you. The "one bite at the apple" rule.

[Kd9truck]

As I understand it the main driver in insurance price variability is the amount of claims filed in a harbor. The local boat owner pays for the claims of their neighbors. The more claims filed in a region the higher the insurance premiums will be. So Yea, that’s great! Now the non-racers will not be paying for the claims of the local harbors race culture (in theory).
A small win for everyone who does not race, unfortunately I do not see those high regional rates dropping anytime soon.

[Pandor]

But who doesn’t race? As I understand it, if one sailboat is out on the water, it is a “sail.” If two or more are sailing together, it is a “race.”

The change in GEICO’s policy (which previously always covered sailboat racing, but not powerboat racing) is not limited to organized racing events. It specifically states “any racing activity.”

So I think it is a shame. But to the point above, my premium was reduced 18% with this recent change. Not sure it is all due to this single change. They actually rewrote the entire policy and made quite a few changes.

[Dr. D]

It may be that the racing endorsement is based on region, not harbor. My marina in Deale, MD, doesn’t have much racing. However, it is only about 15 nm south of Annapolis. Lots of cut-throat racing there.

[Montanan]

My auto insurance company also does not cover racing on streets or tracks.

Go figure. What could possibly go wrong?

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by Montanan

My auto insurance company also does not cover racing on streets or tracks.

Go figure. What could possibly go wrong?

THIS! I mean what’s different between boats and cars?

[Montanan]

When boats collide, they tend to have more than just fender benders.

Just saying.