Pantaenius: are they worth it?

Koeketiene

Koeketiene

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Insurance renewal time:

Been with GJW for 12 years now - and been quite pleased with their policy/attitude.
Two claims were settled very smoothly and quickly.

However, I informed them that in the next year we might be moving the boat abroad (S Brittany) on a permanent basis.
Was advised that this would mean an increase in premium (Biscay).
So, I started asking around for other quotes. One of them was Pantaenius.
Policy looks good and more comprehensive.
However, larger excess and higher premium (much higher: as in several 100).
GJW: premium 0.7% of insured value - Pants: premium 1.2% of insured value.

So the question is: are they worth it?
What does Pants offer that GJW can't/won't?
 
Friend had a major insurance claim with Pantaenius. (Excess £50k)
Hit a rock in his Malo 37 off Cap de Hague last summer.
Boat now all repaired and back in the marina.
He sais Pantaenius were brilliant all the way.
He was so glad he had gone with a decent insurer. However, it has knocked his confidence a bit and I've not seen the boat out of the marina since.
 
My experience with Pantaenius claim-wise has been very positive. That's why I'm still with them.

Edit: They provided Martin Evans as my surveyor on site: He supervised the repairs as they progressed. Top man.

They also recovered a shed-load of my costs from the guilty 3rd party whose insurers were ducking & diving - took nearly 2 years from start to finish.
 
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Can't talk for GJW but in the 19 years we've been with Pants, we've had to make 4 claims (all due to others, I have to say).

Two of the claims were due to be whacked by others and they negoitated with the other party's insurnace companies to get the work done quickly and secured our NCB.

Two of the claims were due to damage whilst the boat was being skippered and crewed by delivery guys. In both of these claims, Pants dealt with the claims quickly and paid up in full, in one case including the cost of flying the delivery crew home.

Not cheap but one happy customer.
 
One of the contributing reasons I've stayed with Pants since going cruising is that the cruising area seems more inclusive than other providers. We are currently in the Western Med on the same premium as when we were UK based. No premium increases to extend the region across Biscay & through the Gibraltar Straight. My understanding is that the same premium covers all the Med region, not sure about N Africa though.

I also have read that Pants have a more relaxed attitude to crewing on long passages than other providers. They also seem happy to increase/decrease the premium based on the passage that you plan to do - contact them after the passage and renegotiate the ongoing rate based on where you are now.
 
I have only had to make one claim against another boat when I was hit. GJW were the insurer and paid up no problems. I never even raised it with my insurers at the time.

I considered moving to GJW as a result of the service they gave, but I found that Pantaenius were more able to provide the cover I wanted, including full cover for the Transat Classique.

I was with Pantaenius years ago, but they had a change of policy from one of their underwriters which ruled out timber boat cover. I met the MD at London boat show on a professional basis longside that sailing front and he said he has now ensured that he has a range of underwriters that he can use to tailor each policy for each boat. I am happy with them so far.
 
Been with Pantaenius for 3 years. Always pleasant and helpful, although I've been fortunate not to have made a claim. Main reason for choosing them was the lack of stupid smallprint I kept finding in other peoples' policies (e.g. night sailing single handed). It's worth something for the peace of mind that you don't have to keep checking what is and isn't allowed.

Talking to other insurers at the boat show this year, seems that Pantanius are one of the few choices for a couple cruising further afield than the med/caribbean. I have plans, even if they haven't been realised yet...
 
We're with Pantaenius. First boat and only on our second year of ownership, but Pantaenius were highly recommended for our plans (a couple going cruising) and they do seem very accommodating. Not had to make any claims, though. Touch wood...
 
KellysEye said:
Pantaenius are renowned for no quibble fast payments for claims, they also cover mast and rig which most insurers don't. Which is why we used them.
Click to expand...

If any part of your boat is over 10 years old there is a 30% excess if the claim isn't a total loss. I assumed that if the whole rig went over the side and all I was left with was the chainplates this excess would mean that 12.5% of my boat would be uninsured. A big proportion, you'll agree. I tried to negotiate with them but they weren't interested.

I moved to Y yacht insurance, who were cheaper to boot.
 
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Been with GJW for a number of years, had a couple of claims some time ago which were sorted out with the minimum of fuss. Last year I moved the boat to the Canary Islands which is out of their normal area. Because I had been with them for a while they said they didn't want to lose my business and worked out a package based on Canary Island cuising which I was very satisfied with. As expected I had to pay a one off fee for cover across Biscay which I didn't find unreasonable. Consequently they have my business for the foreseeable future!
 
We moved to Pants last year after our previous insurers TopSail (prev' G&H I think) whacked on all sorts of **** stuff, like we still had to have coverage for the UK, Ireland and N Europe when we are based in the Carib', we seemed to have to 'add on' bits of cover as we moved around all at our own expense and their hurricane restrictions were pretty draconian.

Pant's on the other hand only required an out of the water survey (no problem as we getting lifted in any case to do some work) and asked that we replaced the standing rigging within the next 12 months; sort of expected as our rigging is around 19 years old (although annually surveyed, written up and submitted to the insurers). Price, well they were a little more expensive in the end, but the cover is 100% better and we can go where we want.
 
OR4751 said:
Insurance renewal time:

Been with GJW for 12 years now - and been quite pleased with their policy/attitude.
Two claims were settled very smoothly and quickly.

However, I informed them that in the next year we might be moving the boat abroad (S Brittany) on a permanent basis.
Was advised that this would mean an increase in premium (Biscay).
So, I started asking around for other quotes. One of them was Pantaenius.
Policy looks good and more comprehensive.
However, larger excess and higher premium (much higher: as in several 100).
GJW: premium 0.7% of insured value - Pants: premium 1.2% of insured value.

So the question is: are they worth it?
What does Pants offer that GJW can't/won't?
Click to expand...


Cant see why you would want to switch from GJW, or have I missed something? They are cheaper, did the honourable think with your claims. Whats not to like?

I have been with GJW for 8 years, I had a claim which was resolved without any fuss whatsoever.
 
michael_w said:
If any part of your boat is over 10 years old there is a 30% excess if the claim isn't a total loss. I assumed that if the whole rig went over the side and all I was left with was the chainplates this excess would mean that 12.5% of my boat would be uninsured. A big proportion, you'll agree. I tried to negotiate with them but they weren't interested.

I moved to Y yacht insurance, who were cheaper to boot.
Click to expand...

Not my experience. Rival Spirit is 36 years old and we have not been subject to the excess you refer to. This included loss of forestay and genny when a delivery crew had a problem mid-Atlantic ....
 
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