liability insurance

[ahp]

I am looking for an agent or underwriter for personal liability insurance in the event that someone is injured or worse by or on my boat, or accidently by me while operating my boat. This seems straight foreword, but it isn't. I am now living in a retirement home. I do not own a house or automobile. Nobody seems to want to insure me. When I owned a house and auto, liability insurance was no problem.

[rbgarr]

Boat US or SeaTow?

[Ted Hoppe]

One word - Plastics.

Go with a progressive policy. Refer to your boat as composite.

[nedL]

I have liability only through Boat U.S. & Geico, not expensive at all. They may (probably will) require a suitability of insurance survey.

[J.Madison]

Nobody in the states wants to do a liability only policy. I guess the profit is in hull coverage. Boat US used to be great for a combo policy, but now they don't want to touch anything over a certain length or certain age. Not sure on details but my boat failed on both counts. If you have a newish, smallish boat they might still be the best option. (not sure how the post above found liability only through them, they flat denied such a product existed to me.)

Boat insurance is super frustrating. It is required for many marinas, but in the US at least, insurance companies basically don't want to sell policies to the average wooden boat owner. I basically went around pleading with many companies and brokers and they all said no for various reasons. I never beg to buy anything, it was unsettling. I had even more difficulty buying a policy for an American boat in Australian waters, I ended up finding a Spanish company that would give me a policy.

You could give them a try, Edward William. But again they wouldn't just sell a liability policy, I had to buy hull coverage. The price was pretty okay compared to others, but nothing like as good as adding on to a home-owners policy.

https://www.edwardwilliam.com/

[Brian Palmer]

I have a personal liability umbrella policy. Not just specific to the boat.

[sp_clark]

I have a personal liability umbrella policy. Not just specific to the boat.

Same here (which reminds me the annual premium's coming due soon).

Provides a measure of comfort I feel is proper given the litigious bent our society's acquired.

[Garret]

I have a personal liability umbrella policy. Not just specific to the boat.

Since I'm another "Can't find anyone who'll insure my boat" person - have you checked to see if your policy does cover you & the boat?

[ron ll]

I have liability only on my 1943 37’ boat through State Farm, who also insures my car, which of course doesn’t help AHP. It previously was $57 per year for $500,000. But I recently upped it to $1 mil. and the premium went up to $72 per year (yes, year, not month). I’ve had my agent double check it a couple of times because it seems too good to be true. But she assures me the coverage is good and even includes an environmental rider in case of spills. BUT, it’s dependent on having my car policy with them.

[Garret]

I have liability only on my 1943 37’ boat through State Farm, who also insures my car, which of course doesn’t help AHP. It previously was $57 per year for $500,000. But I recently upped it to $1 mil. and the premium went up to $72 per year (yes, year, not month). I’ve had my agent double check it a couple of times because it seems too good to be true. But she assures me the coverage is good and even includes an environmental rider in case of spills. BUT, it’s dependent on having my car policy with them.

Unfortunately, my boat is 52 ft & it seems no one will go over 50. That includes State Farm

[ahp]

Thank you all. This indeed is a frustrating problem. I will contact Boat US and Geico. My problem, which I may not have stressed, is that I own nothing solid except the boat. I do have monetary investments. I am not very much interested in insuring the boat, but I will if needed.

[Mark0]

Hi,
For what it's worth this isn't just a wood boat problem. It took a search for us to find an underwriter to insure our steel hull as we needed insurance for marinas. It was a frustrating period, as many brokers said "nice boat, but we won't insure". It seems they are only interested in dealing with factory turned out plastic boats. I'm not sure about other places in the world, but here it's not obvious which brokers deal with which underwriters. We had three different brokers ask the same underwriter - seems like a waste of time for everyone involved. I've read online that even older plastic boats are having a hard time finding insurance over a certain age. I'm not sure how this can play out well for the industry.
Cheers,
Mark

[chas]

At the end of our time with Accolade we were required to have marina insurance, which covered us while tied up at our home port. For anything else, well, I was on my own for that. Worked out ok. Good luck with your search ahp. / Jim

[Rich Jones]

I'm also looking for liability insurance for my little 16' wood/fiberglass boat.
The fact that is goes a roaring 25 mph it has the ability to do damage if I hit something or someone.
I'm trying through my car insurance company and still haven't got an answer.

[Rich Jones]

I just checked Boat U.S. and they do not cover wood or wood composite boats or homemade boats.
Useless bunch.

[Garret]

Have you tried your homeowner's insurance Rich?

[Rich Jones]

Have you tried your homeowner's insurance Rich?

My agent is checking into it.

[nedL]

I just checked Boat U.S. and they do not cover wood or wood composite boats or homemade boats.
Useless bunch.

Maybe I am luckily grandfathered in? Mine is 1957, 33 ft twin screw power boat, completely rebuilt by myself. I have had insurance through Boat US for six or seven years now. Last year they upped my premium from $72 to $76 a year.