Liability insurance for boat haulout and storage

[SailsWithFists]

Originally Posted by Dave Lochner

Then there are those who advocate hiding assets in offshore shell companies and banks. Holding other assets in multiple states under different corporate shells ostensibly to protect their assets while not carrying liability insurance. This seems to be a person of a very different character, the message this person appears to be sending is "Too bad, so sad if I injured you. You won't get anything from me." "Tough luck, it sucks to be you." This attitude does not seem to be a sound basis for a civil society.

Do I protect my assets with corporations? You bet!
Do I use offshore banks? You bet!
Do I carry certain insurance? You bet!
Do I not carry other types of insurance? You bet!
Am I advocating irresponsibility for individual actions? Absolutely not!

My personal ways of conducting myself were not an indication of how you can expect to be treated by me if I am responsible for damage to someone's property or person. You inferred that all on your own. I never advocated dodging responsibility.

However, I have personal experience with uninsured boaters, drivers, and everyday people. I was trying to drive home a point that just because you believe someone should carry insurance to protect you, it is simply not the reality you will experience outside of first world countries (and from personal experience not even within, in many cases.) And no matter how much you want it to be so, it is just not going to happen. There are many of those who are uninsured, and those that hide behind a veil, and will absolutely not be responsible for their actions. THAT is why you carry insurance for uninsured. Not because of me, because you do not know me, but because you are more risk averse than I am.


As far as your desire for a "civil society," that is a utopian pipe dream that has never occurred in the history of mankind, and never will. Keep your insurance up to date.

[Mike OReilly]

I only know you by what you write (here) Dave. You come across as rather black and white in this discussion, but I appreciate it is hard to convey nuance in an online forum. I bet we would both come across better if this were happening over a couple of beers

Like I said, if you want to make the risk/mitigation/cost argument around 3rd party liability insurance, then I ain’t got no problem. It’s when you (and others) start claiming the moral high ground, and worse, demeaning those who dare to think differently, that my nose gets out of joint.

I carry liability insurance on my only home, which is my boat, because it passes the cost/benefit threshold. It is pretty cheap. But if the cost were to increase significantly it may fall below this benchmark.

My personal opinion, based on my own modest cruising experience, is that I would much rather hang with knowledgable boaters who demonstrate how to mitigate risk (good seamanship), rather than cruisers who’s primary tool is insurance policies and law suits. When I see another cruiser come in and anchor close to me I can usually tell if they know what they’re doing by their actions and their equipment. To me, THIS is what shows respect for others, not some insurance policy.

… but I accept not everyone thinks my way. And I don’t go around calling them foolish or irresponsible.