Liability Insurance

[Charlie]

Hi All,

Have moved on to my boat. Living in a marina Not really my idea of living life. My boat says she wants to go but I have a few things to sort out prior to leaving. My question is about liability insurance. When my ex and I split I lost the liability insurance coverage from my homeoner's policy. On the renters policy I had to use the max coverage then get an umbrella policy. How do people get liability coverage while living aboard.

[DrRobinson]

Usually your boat insurance company will offer liability.

[J.Kitchens]

Are you talking about personal liability? Or professional liability? Or boat liability?

[DrRobinson]

I'm not an insurance expert, so I may not have all the terms correct. But here is my setup:

The boat insurance offers "Primary Indemnity Protection".

Defined as: "Primary Indemnity Protection portion of this policy provides for indemnifying the insured for any liabilities the insured is legally obligated to pay for bodily injury or property damage caused by an “occurrence”.

There are exclusions. For example, for operating motorized land vehicles.

[gma4]

Charlie: The "Liability" portion of a boat's insurance generally covers you for events which are related to the operation or use of the boat. For instance, if some falls down on your boat, breaks an arm, and then sues you, or you damage another boat while you are docking.

The boat's insurance will normally not cover you for land-based events. The clearest example is anything related to the operation of a motor vehicle. (The insurance company doesn't want you to have "free" auto insurance on any of your cars. Of course if you rent a car or borrow a friend's car, with permission, the car's insurance should cover you.)

Other land-based events that your boat policy will not cover are claims that you injured someone, or their property. For instance if you are pushing a shopping cart in a store and accidentally knock down someone, breaking their hip, or you are riding your bike and collide with a parked car, damaging it.

It is for those land-based incidents that you may very well want to have some kind of separate liability coverage. The real problem is that for true liveaboards, it is difficult to find an insurance carrier which will cover you if you don't own a house or are a tenant in a leased premises.

The descriptions of "coverage" above are gross generalities and everything depends on the actual policy language.

Your best solution is to locate a good local insurance agent and see if they can find some way to obtain coverage for you. It won't be easy - this is a perennial problem for liveaboards. You could also go to the company or agent who sold your boat policy, and see what they might have available.

Greg Allard
M/V Meander

[Charlie]

Thank you for the responses. I was concerned about the land based (non car) occurences. I will speak to my agent both boat and other about this

[Al Golden]

There are 3 yacht policies in the world that provide proper coverage for liveaboards. They are provided by 2 companies:
1. New Hampshire's Liveaboard policy.
2. Markel's Helmsman Policy
3. Markel's Jackline Policy

[billknny]

Originally Posted by Al Golden

There are 3 yacht policies in the world that provide proper coverage for liveaboards. They are provided by 2 companies:
1. New Hampshire's Liveaboard policy.
2. Markel's Helmsman Policy
3. Markel's Jackline Policy

Errr... In the WORLD??? Really? That's a rather bold statement. What about them makes them the ONLY "proper" liveaboard policies (other than you sell them??)

There are many others that seem proper to me. Pantaenius for example. Full coverage for the yacht and umbrella liability as well.

[Charlie]

Talked to my insurance agent. $300 to $400 a yr for $1m personal liability

[Al Golden]

That is correct my friend.

There are plenty of companies that provide yacht policies for liveaboards, but only 2 of them provide personal liability coverage on their yacht policies for those folks who no longer have the coverage on a homeowners or other land based policy.

Al Golden
International Marine Insurance Services
410-364-7701

[Charlie]

My agent is now telling me he can't get me liability insurance but can get me an umbrella if I can get my liveaboard policy to get me coverage.

[danielamartindm]

Boat US offers liability-only coverage at very competitive rates, and offers great customer service.

[belizesailor]

Recent thread discussing liability-only coverage. Note this is for boat related coverage only. For other liability risks you may want to investigate an "umbrella" liability policy.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=210974


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