Help Insurance and liveaboard slips?

[outbound 123]

We have been out of the loop for the last 5 years of cruising and living aboard,I have been told by a few people ,some of them boat brokers,that insurance is becoming difficult to obtain for boats . I know boat us always has insurance, but their prices are quite high ,also i have been told that finding a liveaboard marina in us east coat from deltaville, va to florida is tough and super expensive.. we have been boatless last few years, we sold our 41 moved ashore.Now wanting to get back to living aboard and some island cruising again. Anyone have first hand experience recently with this topic.

[Ferrity]

To answer your question, what size boat are you considering?

Liveaboard marinas around Annapolis up to Baltimore are plentiful. Slip availability depends on boat size with 40+ foot slips a little scarcer or perhaps one would have to wait for a prime location.

On Spa Creek in Annapolis, a 40 foot slip will run ~9k USD/year with few amenities. On Annapolis's Back Creek, it may be about the same but with clubhouse, perhaps pool, laundry, etc. Slips farther from Annapolis or on the Eastern Shore are less expensive.

Can't speak to the lower Chesapeake Bay but I found liveaboard slips in North Carolina. there are many liveaboards around New Bern. Some in Morehead City and I believe some in Beaufort. In Georgia, Brunswick Landing Marina has LOTS of liveaboards. I know that Charleston County in SC has banned liveaboards but don't know about other places in the state.

From what I have read, some parts of Florida are cracking down on liveaboards.

As for insurance, I don't believe Boat/us insures liveaboards. And many companies are not insuring boats over 30 years old. Some have an earlier cutoff. My insurance is through Gowrie Group. It's expensive, but they have a great reputation, and the coverage is excellent.

Been living aboard since 1987 in different states on US East Coast, West Coast, and Hawaii. Don't plan to move ashore until health forces the decision.

Dennis
s/v Ferrity
- on Spa Creek, Annapolis, MD USA

[S/V Illusion]

Th explanation is in understanding actuarial data of risk specific to boaters, boat locations, age of and type of boat, area of coverage and live aboard status. In other words, it’s not a simple equation nor a simple answer.

[CarlF]

For insurance purposes I believe you are better off if you don’t call yourself a liveaboard but a cruiser. You have an annual slip rental but the boat doesn’t sit there 12 months a year (which sounds like your plan).

One idea is to keep your current house and stay there several months a year renting it on AirBandB when you are on the boat (using a rental agent for all the work). Having a home address makes a lot of things easier like auto insurance, tax returns, credit cards. Some marinas consider this as not “liveaboard”.

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by CarlF

For insurance purposes I believe you are better off if you don’t call yourself a liveaboard but a cruiser. You have an annual slip rental but the boat doesn’t sit there 12 months a year (which sounds like your plan).

One idea is to keep your current house and stay there several months a year renting it on AirBandB when you are on the boat (using a rental agent for all the work). Having a home address makes a lot of things easier like auto insurance, tax returns, credit cards. Some marinas consider this as not “liveaboard”.

NEVER misrepresent ANYTHING to your insurance company. EVER.

An insurance policy is a "warrantee." You basically promise the insurance company that everything on the application is true and REMAINS true for the term of the policy. If you ever have a claim, and ANYTHING you told them, related to the claim or not, is found to be less that truthful, your policy is cancelled, they keep any premiums paid, and you are left high and dry. You might as well just skip paying for the insurance if you are going to be less than truthful, because it will come out in the wash.

Our boat is our home. We have no fixed home port. That's what we tell our insurance brokers. It very much limits the companies who will underwrite a policy for us, and makes the policies a bit more expensive, but we know we are covered.

Another vote for Gowrie on coverage for boats others won't, with policies that are fair.