Why bother with insurance?

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:57 am

Is it just because we live in such a litigious society? Or is there a legitimate need for it?

What kind of features do I want to look for in my insurance?

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:31 am

In case you kill or hurt someone in the water.

In case your boat sinks.

In case someone hits your trailer with the boat and made a mess in the freeway.

In case the wheels in your trailer falls off while doing 65 mph.

In case sh*t happens?

thepartydog · Post by **thepartydog** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:53 am

And Sh*t does happen. You are also responsible for your boat if it sinks and is in a navigation channel. IIRC your insurance takes over from your sea tow type service if the situation is a salvage operation. Also if your boat sinks in environmentally sensitive areas. Some of those are federally protected, and they will give you time to remove the boat, but if you don't they will remove it and bill you.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:26 am

If your boat sinks and fuel or oil seep out then ther can be a substantial fine.

Scott

kokezaru · Post by **kokezaru** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:30 pm

I am not sure what all it covers, but my State Farm homeowners insurance apparently includes my boat.
Actually, I was told my coverage included a boat up to 26ft, I have never actually measures my C26 to know if it is over or not, but for their records it is.

Does anyone know the exact length of a C26?

--Richard

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:53 pm

25'11" per the specs. Never checked it tho.

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:29 pm

The last two marinas my boat was in required insurance as well.

Plus all the other reasons listed above.

Thanks
Alan

dave1950 · Post by **dave1950** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:55 pm

When I was an insurance agent this question came up more often then not. With homeowners insurance your boat is only covered if you are on a trailer parked next to your house or on the water. I insure my boat with Boat US. I'm covered as well as my boat no matter where it is.

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:16 pm

With hurricane season starting there would be no way I wouldn't have Boat US insurance. everything including the trailer is covered.

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:11 am

So the consensus seems to be that Boat US is the best place to go?

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:18 am

Talk to your home owners first or auto ins. compony, but we have ours on the coast and figured it would be easier to deal with them if we had a problem.

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 5:02 am

WOW!!

I just got off the phone with my insurance agent. I use a company called Erie, based here in PA, for my homeowners and auto policies. Turns out that since neither boat has a motor over 75hp they are covered under my homeowners policy for up to $300,000 liability should I hit someone else or their boat. If a tree should happen to fall on the boat in my driveway they would be covered up to $2500 each. Guys, if a tree falls on these boats I'm going to just be happy to be alive!! That means a tornado passed thru and tore up a tree four lots over.

As for on the highway, my insurance covers ANY trailer I'm towing, even if it were Banshi's trailer for instance. And if it breaks free and careens down the highway wreaking havoc and leaving a trail of devastation in it's wake I am covered to the liability limits of my auto policy ($250,000 in my case).

In the end Tom told me that while he'd love to sell me another policy, I don't need it for either of these two boats. Now if I owned Malabar X or something like that .....