MarineMax Evicts 30 Boats for being "Too Old"

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by gbowen

I wonder if this could be an insurance issue. I have spoken with people who have had their insurance cancelled because their boat was too old. Marinas have different policies but carrying liability insurance could be one of them.

Interesting topic!

I was insurance shopping this month and Geico Insurance would not insure any boat older than a 1981. My Pearson 365 is 1979. I only wanted liability.

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I was insurance shopping this month and Geico Insurance would not insure any boat older than a 1981. My Pearson 365 is 1979. I only wanted liability.

Mine is 1974 and I've had this same issue, can't find anyone who will insure. When I finally found one that would insure boats this old, they made up some other excuse.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

Mine is 1974 and I've had this same issue, can't find anyone who will insure. When I finally found one that would insure boats this old, they made up some other excuse.

Did you try Progressive?

[Lionshooter]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

Mine is 1974 and I've had this same issue, can't find anyone who will insure. When I finally found one that would insure boats this old, they made up some other excuse.

Mine is a '77 and when Safe Harbour made insurance mandatory 3 years ago, I called Progressive and was covered within 5 minutes.

[Moosemiester]

Don’t mean to hijack the thread here but this story about old boats aren’t insurable is simply not true I have a 76 insured through GEICO…

[pesarsten]

I’m not surprised. I have a very low regard for Marine Max in St Pete. after three years of slipping my Sabre 34 sloop there, and dealing with renovation construction for 1 year. When construction was completed , I along with about 20 other boats were given 30 days notice to vacate.

It seems the renovation work was in prep for expanding their brokerage space!

I left immediately and moved to another marina. I didn’t feel the need to give them the same 30 day notice as I was lucky to find a vacant slip. I think their corporate focus is on large power boats not boaters like me.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Moosemiester

Don’t mean to hijack the thread here but this story about old boats aren’t insurable is simply not true I have a 76 insured through GEICO…

It's true in California.

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Moosemiester

Don’t mean to hijack the thread here but this story about old boats aren’t insurable is simply not true I have a 76 insured through GEICO…

Are you grandfathered in? They only put the policy in place in the last year, but I've called on two occasions and gotten the same answer.

[George DuBose]

I have a 1973 Pearson 36 that I have been renovating for the past 14 years. She passed a Post-Construction survey in The Netherlands and has been insured by a Dutch firm the whole time she has been in Europe.

Now I want to take her to Spain and my Dutch firm won't insure boats "permanently moored" in the Med.

I have been trying to find another insurance company, but they are either unwilling to insure her or the annual premium is close to $5000. I found one firm Edward Willliams based in Spain, but this insurance company has some reviews that cause me concern.

If the governments force us to carry high liability coverage, why don't these governments offer us insurance.

Good Old Boat magazine is going to run an article about problems insuring our older ladies.

[letsgetsailing3]

It's a business. Their job is to make money.

I do think they owe their customers ample notice, but if the market is competitive, I can see why they want to maximize their revenue. When they make moves like this, it does tend to alienate people for life.

What is the rule for "too old"? Is it just the age, or is it a "looks derelict to me" situation? Boats do have a tendency to fall into disrepair if left sitting for a long time.

[Opie91]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Did you try Progressive?

Yes try Progressive. They will write it for you most likely without a survey.

Make sure that your vessel is seaworthy they love trying not to pay claims for various reason. Someone with Progressive hit my boat and caused over $4000 of damage, the adjuster came out and said it was $1200 and a check was in the mail. Told them to keep it, fought with them for four months and then they mailed me a check for $4000.

[Celestialsailor]

I find it interesting that there is no real conclusive evidence of fiberglass deterioration. There should be a definitive test done by a surveyor that can be handed off to an Insurance company as to the condition of a vessel.
You cannot tell me a Tayana 37 with a 1" thick hull is less of a boat than one of the high production bleach bottle boats on the market.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

It's a business. Their job is to make money.

I do think they owe their customers ample notice, but if the market is competitive, I can see why they want to maximize their revenue. When they make moves like this, it does tend to alienate people for life.

What is the rule for "too old"? Is it just the age, or is it a "looks derelict to me" situation? Boats do have a tendency to fall into disrepair if left sitting for a long time.

From what I have found, it seems to be boats over 30 years old.

[MyCatLife]

If insurance companies are unwilling to insure old boats,... it seems logical that the marina's insurance carrier would also want to restrict mooring / slipping the old boats.

[Chotu]

I think the varying experiences have to do with states. Each state has a different set of insurance criteria.