US and the Bahamas Insurance?!

[Sailing-FC2023]

HELP! We are in the process of buying our new way of life (living) and having the absolute worst time getting anyone who will insure us! We have a mooring in MD secured (the boat in currently in FL but we planned to sail it up to MD immediately) we would stay around the east coast until AFTER hurricane season in which we then would sail to the Bahamas for the winter months. Does anyone out there have any useful, helpful information that we could use to the benefit of securing some insurance for a dream come true? Thanks in advance.

[Bobby Lex]

I use Progressive. I live in Florida. My coverage is US inland and coastal waters out 175 miles, which includes the Bahamas.

Bob

[Lee Jerry]

We have State Farm. Boat based in FL panhandle, coverage for Gulf Coast, East Coast and Bahamas. Caribbean not an option with them (I think Puerto Rico is included but ends there, IIRC), so we will have to change soon as we plan to go.

Note we have house and cars insured with them as well, but probably not required, just helps rates.

[Jammer]

I previously had insurance with State Farm and they included the Bahamas at reasonable rates.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Bobby Lex

I use Progressive. I live in Florida. My coverage is US inland and coastal waters out 175 miles, which includes the Bahamas.

Bob

Read it carefully, You have to return to 75 miles and not in someone else's waters every month. It really is a pain if you want to go anywhere but West End or Bimini. It's also limited to North of 24N so Black point is about the limit in the Exumas. No coverage in Georgetown. It's ok for east coast power boats who want to go over for the weekend, but not much else.

[wsmurdoch]

This year BoatUS removed the coverage of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos from our liability only policy for coastal and inland waters of the U.S. and Canada saying that coverage was no longer available for our policy. Previously, we were insured to north of 20.5 degrees north and east of 70.5 degrees west.

[Senojev]

Try Global Marine, Traverse City, MI.

[hlev00]

Chubb (formerly Ace) works for us - US East coast then we get a rider for our Bahamas trips. Call Admiralty Insurance in Winchester MA. They are very helpful and can find an insurer to fit your needs. They are friends of mine.
https://admiraltyinsurance.com/


Harry

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by Bobby Lex

I use Progressive. I live in Florida. My coverage is US inland and coastal waters out 175 miles, which includes the Bahamas.

Bob

I LOVE THIS..

The Bahamas extend to nearly 500 miles from the nearest US coast. Ignorance is bliss.

[Bobby Lex]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

I LOVE THIS..

The Bahamas extend to nearly 500 miles from the nearest US coast. Ignorance is bliss.

Clumsy grammar on my part. My coverage is up to 175 miles offshore AND the Bahamas.

Bob

[Sailor Sailor]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Read it carefully, You have to return to 75 miles and not in someone else's waters every month. It really is a pain if you want to go anywhere but West End or Bimini. It's also limited to North of 24N so Black point is about the limit in the Exumas. No coverage in Georgetown. It's ok for east coast power boats who want to go over for the weekend, but not much else.

I just read it carefully. Here is my Progressive coverage:

"PART XI—GENERAL PROVISIONS POLICY PERIOD AND TERRITORY

This policy applies only to accidents and losses occurring during the policy period shown on the declarations page and which occur within: 1. a state, territory, or possession of the United States of America, or a province or territory of Canada, including their in-land lakes, rivers, and navigable waterways; 2. the Great Lakes; or 3. ocean waters 75 nautical miles or less from the coast of either the United States or Canada, but not including the territory or territorial waters of any country other than the United States or Canada."

It does not cover the Bahamas. There is an optional Mexico coverage. Otherwise, it is limited to the U.S. and Canada.

To the OP, there are a number of important factors for insurance coverage, including your credit history, your boating experience, the size of the boat, whether you financed it, and whether you intend to live aboard.

If you purchased a boat longer than 50', have questionable credit, have little or no experience in boating, want coverage for a foreign country, intend to live aboard, and financed it, you will have great difficulty in finding any insurance.

What don't you tell us about those factors?

[SailFastTri]

Travelers offers US East Coast and Bahamas coverage

[jcapo]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

Travelers offers US East Coast and Bahamas coverage

From this page, https://www.travelers.com/boat-yacht-insurance

Quotes are not available for risks located in AK, FL, HI and LA.

Insurance companies don't understand full time cruisers that happen to have a Florida mailing address.


Solution: get a mailing address from one of the dozens of companies that provide mailing addresses all over the country. Works for Progressive.

[Bobby Lex]

Originally Posted by Sailor Sailor

I just read it carefully. Here is my Progressive coverage:

"PART XI—GENERAL PROVISIONS POLICY PERIOD AND TERRITORY

This policy applies only to accidents and losses occurring during the policy period shown on the declarations page and which occur within: 1. a state, territory, or possession of the United States of America, or a province or territory of Canada, including their in-land lakes, rivers, and navigable waterways; 2. the Great Lakes; or 3. ocean waters 75 nautical miles or less from the coast of either the United States or Canada, but not including the territory or territorial waters of any country other than the United States or Canada."

It does not cover the Bahamas. There is an optional Mexico coverage. Otherwise, it is limited to the U.S. and Canada.

Of course, even with the same insurance company, everybody's coverage can be different.

As suggested, I did a deeper dive into my policy language. I discovered that last year's coverage of 175 miles offshore has indeed been shortened this year to 125 miles. I still have "Bahamas" coverage that is about 80% (not 100%, but close enough for my purposes). My agent informed me that I can get a 100% Bahamas coverage endorsement for another $125.00 per year.

Incidentally, my premium this year is a little over $100.00 cheaper than it was last year.

Bob

[bstreep]

Try Susan at www.marineinsurance.cc

She found us a policy that works for us. Be aware that most global insurance companies won’t write coverage that covers you in the US. They usually have to maintain offices in your home state, which they don’t want to do.