Pantaenius: are they worth it?

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.
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GJW do cover the rig. I've claimed, and they paid out with no fuss (including replacing parts over 10 years old) with the standard excess.
 
We insured with GJW, had a sizeable claim which the paid out with no fuss and arranged for transport of yacht. Single point of contact, answered phone and e-mail quickly. No increase in premium next year either, we sailed form the U.K. to Greece, a small increase in premium but still cheaper than others we contacted - first class outfit.
 
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>Check just how much of your rig, is actually covered, if over 10 yrs old

Yes a new rig is covered fo 10 years, beyond that you may need to renew the rigging or check with Pantaenius if a rig survey will do. We replaced our rigging before taking out a policy with them
 
KellysEye said:
>Check just how much of your rig, is actually covered, if over 10 yrs old

Yes a new rig is covered fo 10 years, beyond that you may need to renew the rigging or check with Pantaenius if a rig survey will do. We replaced our rigging before taking out a policy with them
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if your mast went over the side & over all kit affixed to it was 10 yrs old, tot that up & reduce that value by 30%
 
sailorman said:
if your mast went over the side & over all kit affixed to it was 10 yrs old, tot that up & reduce that value by 30%
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I understand that Pants have changed their policies since I claim (thanks Mike) and TBH I haven't read mine in recent years howver, at risk of being a bad smell around here, I reckon that a 30% discount for gear over 10 years old is not bad coverage. I repleace my standing rigging every 10 years but haven't touched the mast or boom since we bought the boat, to look for a new replacement for a 36 yo mast and boom without paying a substantial additional premium is imo perhaps asking too much.
 
ChrisE said:
. . . to look for a new replacement for a 36 yo mast and boom without paying a substantial additional premium is imo perhaps asking too much.
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No doubt someone will say otherwise :rolleyes:

TBH the 30% deduction for gear over 10 years old is a bit of a bugger. Due to no fault of my own I had to pay quite a bit out to cover this 30% - I got it all back from the 3rd party in the end through the hard work of Pantaenius.

I would point out that it's materials/gear only that's subject to the 30% - cost of labour to rectify/repair is covered.

Trouble is, the yards/suppliers tend to lump the labour and materials together e.g. a new fabricated-to-order pulpit (ie not off shelf) say £600 may be £200 materials/£400 labour so technically you should pay 30% of the £200 not 30% of £600 you're actually billed.
 
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I have been with GJW for several years without claim, so cannot comment on claims, but happy with the service otherwise.
Today I asked for a renewal quote and was quoted the same as last year, approx 0.7% of the insured value of the boat.
Just as a check, I asked for a quote from Your Boat Insurance (a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group) and received a telephone quote substantially less than GJW. Now awaiting the small print.

Has anyone any experience of "Your Boat Insurance"?
 
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.
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I don't know of any insurance contracts that don't cover mast and rig unless racing. However what it covers may differ enormously.

But I do know that you need to read the policy. I did not like Pantaenius' wording on the rig, which meant on a boat over 10 years old, they would apply a direct "life of rig" calculation. As my boat was 20 years old, and they would give me no indication of the write down (or betterment) on a 20 year old rig. I went to another insurer which would pay the majority of the rig and sail.

I don't know what their current contract says, so it really is a case of Read the Contract.

At the end of the day you pays for what you get.
 
We insured with Pantaenius for our circumnavigation, completed last year. Insurance rates and excess (deductible) were high in remote areas, but these were changed each time we moved from one area to another (eg from ocean to within 200m of Oz coast) and rates were then charged on a daily basis.
The way their policy was written scored highest by a barrister friend who specialises in aircraft claims and is therefore very conversant with such matters.
Thankfully, we had no cause to test their response to a claim.
 
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Many years ago I changed to Pantaenius because my previous insurer, and every other one I contacted at the time, wouldn't cover the Hurley 22 I had then for crossing to France (too small, they said!). Pants were absolutely fine about providing this cover, and very pleasant to deal with - you talked to someone who knew about boats and insurance, not just a telephone sales person.

The premium was something like 20 or 25% higher than I'd been paying, but still a small sum. When I got the policy it was refreshingly free of obscure exclusions, particularly in relation to the single-handed sailing I then did a lot of.

I would have continued to insure with them but they now have a minimum boat value they will cover, and sadly I will probably never have a boat expensive enough for them.
 
LittleSister said:
Many years ago I changed to Pantaenius because my previous insurer, and every other one I contacted at the time, wouldn't cover the Hurley 22 I had then for crossing to France (too small, they said!). Pants were absolutely fine about providing this cover, and very pleasant to deal with - you talked to someone who knew about boats and insurance, not just a telephone sales person.

The premium was something like 20 or 25% higher than I'd been paying, but still a small sum. When I got the policy it was refreshingly free of obscure exclusions, particularly in relation to the single-handed sailing I then did a lot of.

I would have continued to insure with them but they now have a minimum boat value they will cover, and sadly I will probably never have a boat expensive enough for them.
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Im those days the MD was Barrie Sullivan who now owns Y Yacht Insurance,in Plymouth
 
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