Date: Tue Feb 20, 2001 4:00 pm

I'll be starting a year's Atlantic Circle in early June and I need insurance. So far, I've been unable to locate a company that will ensure "such a small boat." I'd appreciate any leads on agents/companies that have insured AS IIs for ocean-crossing and international passage-making in the past, evaluations of experiences with them, etc. Thanks.

Date: Tue Feb 20, 2001 5:25 pm

I had contact with an Al Golden who is in the marine insurance business. My contact was two years ago. At that time he was able to offer me insurance for a MED cruise. I never took the insurance. Unfortunately all I have in my file is his name and a phone number with no area code. The number is 541-4647. If you are successful in locating him let me know .

The reason I am mentioning him is that at the time he was the only agent that could help me. I think I got him by looking in National Fisherman or some commercial marine magazine

Date: Tue Feb 20, 2001 7:17 pm


The Seven Seas Cruising Assoc carries ads in their newsletter for one or two agencies. Check their website or call them in Ft. Lauderdale.

Date: Wed Feb 21, 2001 9:11 pm

1. The insurance company I used fro my sabbaticruise around the Atlantic to Africa and back via Caribbean was found through Defender/Gowrie, Barden & Brett: [email protected], 800 767 7115, 888 611 0900) who set me up with Lloyds-TL Dallas.

They initially excluded Africa, but I convinced them to include Casablanca and/or Dakar, as I wanted to be able to go there for repairs if necessary.

After a year coverage, Gowrie cancelled, ie, refused to renew, "because they no longer represented TL Dallas Insurance, and their alternate London (Lloyds?) affiliate does not accept vessels under 40' nor under $100,000 hull value." I had just completed my trip (home in Rye on 19Jun00), so I went back to normal USAC insurance, through Gowrie again, to ensure continuity and avoid another survey. It would have been the fourth in 4 yrs! including the one I commissioned on purchasing the boat.

2. Survey: Be prepared to have a Certified Offshore surveyor do a survey. Because they are busy, contact them well in advance. I used James Dias of Marine Surveyors Bureau, 800 426 2825, Fax 203 453 0858, [email protected] who did a decent job.

3. Action: besides arranging for a survey before and after you put the boat in the water, I would try directly with TL Dallas Insurance. I have no contact info, but the expiry notice came through "JB Williams and Co." as "agency or office".

Please note that I also received a responsive detailed proposal from Peter Shaw @ Offshore Risk Management Ltd, 800 828 1939 or [email protected], with French AXA Global Risks underwriter.

Date: Sun Feb 25, 2001 11:33 am

Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 21:42

Thought you might like to get together on insurance rate quotes. The other day we received our new boat insurance annual rate. It went from 400 US to 1400 US per year with no changes. As you might expect, I inquired as to why the BIG change. No answer and this policy was with West Marine. So we have now had the boat surveyed and are looking for other insurance companies with a more reasonable rate. So far we are getting quotes in the 500 to 600 range for 35K coverage. Would like to hear from each of you as to what amount of coverage in 1000's, underwriter, agent or both and annual cost.

Date: Wed May 23, 2001 12:38 pm


For Chesapeake Bay coverage, $40k, Boat/US charges me a bit under 
$300/year. To add Bahamas, they want another $15 per week spent there. They 
won't give me Bermuda coverage - they said the boat is "too small for 
offshore sailing"!!!!!!

Date: Thu May 24, 2001 4:47 am

Date: Thu May 24, 2001 4:56 am

For Cape May NJ to Eastport ME and 60K, Zurich Personal Insurance through Norther Insurance Co. of New York as underwriters and Gowrie, Barden etc. (Defender) as brokers, I pay 751$ June 00-01, reaffirmed 10 Oct 00 at that level. I don't know what it will be next June, don't dare to ask!!!

I changed from less expensive Boat US because they wanted another survey on my return from offshore, the third in 4 years, plus an insurance survey after the Oct97 storm beaching!

We should think of using the Group's market power, as proposed in my previous email today.

Date: Thu Jul 26, 2001 1:52 pm

I have had a Progressive policy for five years and it has been satisfactory 
and moderately priced.  It also did not require a survey.  However, it won't 
cover me more than 50 miles off shore.  

Were any members of our group successful in finding satisfactory insurance 
that would cover a trip to Bermuda?

Date: Thu Jul 26, 2001 4:34 pm

Most insurance companies will issue Passage insurance for distances beyond the stated limited for a defined period of time. Check with your agent.

Date: Fri Jul 27, 2001 1:38 am

If you can't get a trip insurance from Progressive, the following experience may help:

I switched from Boat US in June99 when going offshore (they had declined anything beyond the Bahamas so they may cover Bermuda on a special rider), but the company I then used has gotten out of the business except for fleets. When back in June2000, Boat US required a new survey (my 3rd one in 5 years, the latest 15 months old!) so I switched to Zenith who was satisfied with the (strong, after much upgrading work) Mar99 survey. They were introduced by Gowrie, Barden Brett: Amy Nicoletti, 800 767 7115, x191, contacted through Defender., who had already procured my offshore insurance via TL-Dallas in 1999, email is [email protected]).

I had another good offshore quote from Peter Shaw at Offshore Risk Management, 800 828 1939, [email protected], worth contacting. Several companies mentioned in Cruising World et al. have abandoned the business for individual boats, or boats worth less than 100 or 150K..

Date: Tue Aug 28, 2001 2:58 pm


Many thanks for your helful information on insurance. I have a $500 quote 
from Off Shore Risk Management for the additional cost of a trip to Bermuda, 
but that (although better than what my own agent offered) seemed high.   I 
will try Defender soon (via [email protected]) and see what I come up with.

3823 Sep 3, 2003
Don: I am with you on predatory premiums, and am looking into raising drastically my deductible instead of going self-insured, which I distrust as the liability can kill you in this litigious society.
Which is the very reason for the grotesque premiums (premia?)!
Bert dF 80K

3826 Sep 4, 2003
Bert,
I believe one can obtain over a million coverage liability for a lot less than we are paying for the boat insurance. Closer to about 200 bucks a year.
Have a Great Day!
Don

4987 Jul 22, 2004
Bert,
Saw your letter to the editor in Cruising World. When you suggest umbrella liability coverage, is this a boat policy, or one on your home?
Thanks,
Bob Gruber, Summerwind #5

8301 Jan 25, 2008
I happen to use BoatUS because that is what the previous owner used. My cruising limit is to Jacksonville, then I extend the crusing limit once I cross that line.

8302 Jan 25, 2008
I had quite a tangle with Tropical Storm Cindy on July 8, 2005. BoatUS was super to the tune of $25,000.
Tad

8303 Jan 25, 2008
In the October 1976 East Coast Nor'Easter that stranded or sunk 17 yachts in Rye's Milton Harbour, Pianissimo #80 was gently beached on a low-lying salt marsh between two rocky islands.
Boat US was superb in paying my repairs of $21,000, but I think that they got back much of it from Seatow, the vultures that did more damage than the storm and beaching by trying to drag the boat back in the water at night (including pulling from the mast top a 15,000lb boat while breaking the aft mooring cleat in the doing!!!) despite my due posting "owner reclaimed, DO NOT TOUCH". A Yacht Club guy discovered the operation at 2AM and crossed the harbor to chase them with a flare gun!
Bert dF 80K

8327 Jan 26, 2008
I have often thought of changing insurance companies. Thankyou for affirming that the few dollars more for BoatUS is worth the investment.