Insurance

[stevesales]

Please can I canvas you folk re good and bad insurers, if you're prepared to tell how much you pay so much the better

 

[Alastairdent]

I use Euromarine for my barge. Cover for inland and coastal, reasonable cover, not unreasonable requirements.

387 stirling for 36000 cover on 80 yr old boat.

 

[boatmike]

Max Burgess enquiries@yachtmasterinsurance.co.uk highly recommended

 

[AndrewB]

It would help to tell us what for, Drowning. There are loads of cheapos willing to take your dosh for a marina moored brand new AWB that sails only in the Solent on summer Sundays. If you want single-handing round the world in a coracle, its a more specialist market.

 

[jeanne]

We have been with St Margarets for about 25 years including builders insurance for our present boat, now 20 years old. We have never had a moments trouble and the unfortunate claims we have had have been dealt with impeccably and quickly. We are now in Southern Spain and our premiums have actually reduced! (Formerly in the Bristol Channel) They even sent us a certificate in Spanish without being asked.

Round about 500 sterling for a one off plus all the dinghy bits (2) and O/B etc (i.e. not a class boat and therefore no class price) for about 30,000. Premium will rise as we add parts of the Med.

 

[Sea Devil]

I spent a lot of time checking out insurance companies in the UK and France - In the end the only one who could talk properly about my requirements and offer me a good deal was www.yachtmasterinsurance.co.uk They are all sailors and do not have to refer to someone else or make you wait for a decision..

 

[jonic]

Having terrible time with Yachtsure arranged by GH insurance. Had to engage own surveyor and now lawyer. All looked great untill we had to make a claim. (Hurricane Ivan victims) So far they have taken an appaling six months, leaving us homeless in the process. Will say more when it is finally over.

 

[stevesales]

This is for a 40 foot ketch mainly in the caribbean (hence a previous post re hurricanes) I have cover from the boat's previous insurers but they're whingeing about my lack of experience sailing this sort of boat in these waters which seems a bit odd since I'm mainly interested in fire + theft cover and third party only cover against ramming floating Gin Palaces in a lax moment is cheap as old boots.
They are also going on about an independent survey after having had one done before purchase late last year.
They are charging USD 1700 for USD 45K cover.
I'll try the yachtmaster folk but I had a bad time with UK insurers who preferred not leaving the Solent as AndrewB suggested.

 

[Lizzie_B]

Yes, I found British insurers didn't want to know about me on the US side of the pond, unless my boat was worth mega bucks(which it aint)!
I found Jerry Norman at Mariners General in Bradenton, FL most helpful.Attitude was 'tell me what you want to use your boat for, I will arrange appropriate cover'. He also didn't have to ask someone else before making a decision! He is well worth a call on (001) 800-914-9928 or (001)941-708-5018. The one time I had to make a claim (on Thanksgiving Day when everything was closed) they were brilliant, giving me the cell phone number of their local guy so I could talk through each stage of the crisis and get instant advice and decisions.
They are also very flexible altering the policy as plans and boat usage altered (as it does).Mariners General are one of the US's biggest marine insurers, and because they underwrite policies in London, Europe and the States can be very flexible for people that want to travel beyond the Bembridge,Poole, Cherbourg triangle.

 

[stevesales]

Lizzie_B
That too is helpful, thanks.
I'll report back