Why do they sell Towing Coverage?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i don't mean, why do they offer the service, but why to they have to sell it?
i cannot think of one item that cost $190 a year i would be better off for owning.
self selling, yes?
but i keep getting ads and sales pitches thrown at me like they need to convince me.

this was just e-mailed to me.
BoatU.S. offers higher option Towing Services which cover you up to the specified level in the event you become stranded on the water. The average cost of a tow is approx. $600 and a soft ungrounding, $800. See www.boatus.com/towing for pricing options.does anyone cruise without it? and why?

They likely read CF and figure you've got potential....

To good to miss...

[rebel heart]

Insurance is a business and you need a lot more people paying premiums than having losses. The bigger your client base the lower your premiums can be and the larger the profit margin. It also helps to weather soft market conditions when you're spread across multiple customer segments.

The people selling tow insurance, and really any insurance, are business minded insurance guys.

[Cheechako]

Just be sure to buy the top of the line one. The lower ones dont pay for anything really. Also beware if you are too firmly grounded... it may become a salvage, not a tow, in the eyes of the towing company.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by fjwiley1

scoobert...I just read your "blog" and was unable to leave a comment.

I am truly sorry for your loss. I would like to say more but not here.

thanks, its been a tough week.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Just be sure to buy the top of the line one. The lower ones dont pay for anything really. Also beware if you are too firmly grounded... it may become a salvage, not a tow, in the eyes of the towing company.

see that is where i have an issue.
in my mind wouldn't salvage be something that was destroyed?

[Cheechako]

They seem to have different levels, something like " Grounding, hard grounding" and some sort of "salvage" thing. Different wording though. I'm no expert, but have read about some pretty bad deals ..... probably rare...
I found this on line:
" Towing assistance, like the pre-paid service available to BoatUS members from the TowBoatUS fleet, provides help for breakdowns and light groundings. ......
If the salvor wants to do the job but does not know what the cost will be but will make claim afterwards, the final amount will be decided one of three ways -- negotiation with your insurance company; binding arbitration (including the BoatUS Salvage Arbitration Program, a lowcost option available to any boat owner, insurance company, and marine assistance company) or, rarely, through litigation in federal admiralty courts."
I was told by the towboat operator once in FL that he would try once more to get my Passport 47 off... and then it would no longer be considered a soft grounding... It was wierd, I simply ran aground on a hard bed of sand not going very fast but the boat simply wouldnt come off. Finally had to be dragged off by attaching the tow lines to the boat and to the mast top to heel it over...

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by scoobert

see that is where i have an issue.
in my mind wouldn't salvage be something that was destroyed?

Go to BoatUS – Boat Insurance, Boat Towing, Boat Lettering, Boating Apps and read about the difference between tow and salvage.

[ShaktiGurl]

Originally Posted by scoobert

see that is where i have an issue.
in my mind wouldn't salvage be something that was destroyed?

Nope. Salvage is any boat in distress where there could be damage to yourselves, other boats, or the environment and other things too. Our Hunter went on walkabout during a thunderstorm with my father-in-law in the bathrooms on shore. It drifted a couple hundred feet to near shore and sort of scraped the rocks. Nothing really wrong with the boat (with regards to moving) but because Towboat US had already arrived and he was not on board (on his way with the dinghy) it was considered a salvage.

[captain58sailin]

Was that due to no, one on board? Or some other distinction?

[Cheechako]

Seems like we need a sign to clip to the lifelines when we leave "Tow/salvage not authorized"....

[ShaktiGurl]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

Was that due to no, one on board? Or some other distinction?

Specifically because no one was onboard. Had he been onboard and needed a tow (because the engine didn't work or something) it would have just been a tow. If he had got there before the tow company, he would have just moved it and again no salvage. Boats on the loose with no one onboard are a hazard, thus the salvage.

[John A]

I had towing insurance while in the US and used it twice and considered it a good investment, because I really did need to be at work Monday. I also had AAA for my car.

While cruising, the family of cruisers helped each other.

[boatman61]

'Technically' if you accept the assisting vessels line you can/may become liable for salvage costs... unless you have clarified the situation before taking the line, that it IS NOT a salvage tow...
In other words... use your own line if you have one suitable for a tow whenever possible..

[de0xyrib0se]

Just like with everything else, the more exposure you get the more people buy it.

The thing about the US is, there is usually someone willing to land a hand for a reasonable amount of money.

The rest of the world is a whole different ballgame.

In Greece for example, if you put a call out the local vultures line up around you like a pack of hungry sharks. They know you have no choice and the bargaining starts, and believe me, it is nowhere near $500. Negotiations start at ridiculous amounts!

So, after some bargaining, you give in and watch the shore as you approach it.

But there is a trick, unless you bargain before hand, the moment he throws you the line you are in his jaws. If price was not agreed upon before hand once you are towed they can claim any ridiculous amount of money and even claim the whole boat. There have been such cases and local courts are not favorable of foreigners.

It would be interesting to hear how things are closer to the US, such as Mexico for example...

[nautical62]

I purposely chose to go without on my first boat. Most of my Bahamas cruising was outside of their covered area anyways.

I actually had my engine go out near Green Turtle Cay - didn't even have a dinghy outboard at the time. I enjoyed a couple weeks of cruising entirely under sail (solo) to get back to the U.S. - sailed into the St. Lucie inlet, walked to West Marine and bought a small dinghy outboard that got me back up the Okechobee waterway. I wanted an outboard for my dinghy anyways, so there really was no extra cost.