Hmmmmmm. I have owned
boats for almost 37 years now, almost always insured. Some
work I
contract out, some I do myself, carefully. What I
contract out, I review, VERY CAREFULLY, as not all "professional" work deserves that label, and I have a pretty good idea of what I am doing or having done. I have had more insurance surveys than you would want to count, over the years. Most have a recommendation or two, occasionally a "must" ! I follow the recommendations, and also, in a general way, keep in touch with my insurance agent when I have any doubt. I have had two claims over the years (one from Irma) and have been treated fairly and professionally, and the claims paid. I always use reputable surveyors and my
boats generally get described as in "good", "very good", or "excellent condition", "for their age". I am also a professional
captain, by which I mean that it's not just a
license, nor just an OUPV, but my job.
Never once have I been questioned as to work done, or who did it, or if I did it. Nor is it in my contracts, even the fine print. I think the insurance companies get a feel for what they are dealing with from good surveyors. Otherwise, there would be no insurance business or insurance companies. Some time, decades ago, when the first car rental companies came into existence, I am sure most people thought they were crazy. I would have done, myself. Who is going to bring back the car? Will it get wrecked, etc. etc? But, somewhere between the rental fee, the insurance costs and the actuarial statistics, it turns out there was a business.....a big business, in fact. Insurance is not about taking no risk. It's about evaluating the risk and figuring out what to charge for it, and if people will pay.
I think boat insurance is very similar. That is not to say that there are no
DIY idiots, that boats never fail their insurance surveys, that all insurance companies are on the up and up, or that all surveyors or boat yards know their stuff, because that's not the case.
It is also true that in the
marine industry (in which I work) it is like every other industry; everyone goes to some lengths to demonstrate that their particular
service is necessary, or even have it mandated that their particular
service is used. And, in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king! And a few, usually exceptional, experiences are used to create the urban myths of which the PO speaks.
Two others: "You can't get a
salvage boat insured". Not so, providing that it has been repaired up to the standard required by the insurer, as determined by a
surveyor. "You can't get insurance in the
hurricane box". You certainly can. I always have. Whether it's worth the extra fee is up to you. I think it's the same with
DIY. Probably a boat had lots of
survey recommendations, failed to do them or to do them adequately, and then had a claim denied. Fair enough!
By the way, I have always used top rated insurance companies, so perhaps you get what you pay for.
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