Hitch Hiking on Yachts

[cloudnine]

Plan to be away for quite a while different boats, different seas around the world, what is the position on personal insurance i.e. travel / accident.

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[webcraft]

My position is that if I was worried about it I wouldn't go . . .

- Nick

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[snowleopard]

you should get at least health insurance though cover for travelling on unspecified private boats might be hard to find. the ultra-cautious might want personal liability insurance though i've no idea where you'd look for it.

routine travel insurance covering theft, accident etc should be easy to find.

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[StephenSails]

You might be able to get something through the STA student travel association, and no they do sell to non-students as well. I will be interested to see jow you get on as I am planning to sell up and leave next year as well and sailing is definetly part of the plan.

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[Lizzie_B]

Went through this sort of stuff this Spring with daughter's GAP year needs. Found STA and Endsliegh (the Student Union's alledged preferred insurer) very expensive and when reading the small, small print,the cover very inadequate. Surprisingly, the best deal in terms of cover and premium ended up being American Express's top of the range executive travel cover, designed for high flying millionaire's with a bent to spend their money practicing extreme sports. For my daughter unlimited travel for 12months came to about £200, compared with STA's and Endsleigh's so called specialist, tailor made gap year package which came to £398, and didn't cover you for most active sports such as skiing etc (they wanted specific activities added with an additional premium for each), and levels of cover for things like medical treatment, lost money, mugging etc was a fraction of the cover provided by Amex. Amex also had a better world wide network of agents to sort out problems locally, instead via some call centre thousands of miles away. I was really surprised 'cos I naturally assumed the so called 'specialists' would give me the best deal and Amex were into ripping off rich people. Quelle Domage! No wonder students are alwaysin debt!! I would certainly give them a call and see if they can't tailor something to your needs. They seemed very flexible about what they were prepared to add on to the core policy. I think the only problem you would get is if you should become a paying or paid crew member. I believe once money changes hands so does the legal situation about what and who can be insured. Another place that might be worth trying is to phone Jerry Norman on 001-800-914-9928 (or if you can't get through on this toll free number try 001-941-708-5018). He is an agent for Mariner's General in Florida and tell him, what you want to do and if he can help or knows someone who can. Mariners are a big group within USA and seem to be willing to tailor policies to suit individual situations, and also adjust policies as situations change. I have found them very flexible and accommadating, and have met all my insurance needs as they have arisen when British companies quite frankly didn't want to know cos my boat wasn't expensive enough. Ironically, the policies go from the States to be underwritten on the London insurance market and are sent back to Mariners, who then post and fax it to me in the UK. Ah, the Global Village. Give them a call, if they can't help they will probably be able to direct you to someone who can. You've nothing to lose.

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[Ships_Cat]

I suspect that your advice re executive type cover is right on Lizzie_B.

I was once told by an insurer that business/excutive cover was much cheaper than that for casual travellers because they did not incur the high rate of fraudulent claims that casual travellers make.

John

<hr width=100% size=1>I am the cat but I am only 6.

 

[Lizzie_B]

Honesty is the best policy then!!

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