"jps" wrote in message
...


Everything looked pretty much the same (including cost of coverage)
until I got to "uninsured boater" line. My present policy assumes
$50,000 and the Boat US is $300,000. I assume that if my vessel is a
total loss with someone else at fault, the max. payout with my present
policy is $50K (and the boat is worth significantly more).

I don't think that is correct, unless you are only getting liability
coverage.

You want to be covered for a large amount of liability, regardless of the
size or value of your boat. I was witness to a 18 foot runabout causing
millions of dollars in damage (it caught fire, drifted into a dock of very
expensive boats).

Depending on the value of your boat (and perhaps the bank) you may elect for
insurance that will cover any damage to your boat, regardless of the nature
of the damage. It could be an accident where you were at fault, storm
damage, theft, etc. This coverage generally wants to be for the true value
of the boat.

Then the insurance companies tend to throw other line items in there. For
example, my BOAT US policy contains:

"Fuel and other Spill Liabilty": This is becoming an important item as the
law enforcement agencies are starting to get tough on spills. I have heard
tales of some very large fines for relative minor fuel spills.

"Medical Payments": if someone gets hurt on your boat (slips and falls)
then this will provide some amount of coverage. If everyone who is likely
to ever be aboard your boat has their own insurance, you can skip this or
make it small to cover their deductable or co-pay amounts.

"Personal effects": if your boat sinks, this covers all the items you had
aboard.

Uninsured Boater: if someone else causes an accident who does not have
insurance, and there are expenses incurred that are not covered by
everything else, then this will kick in. It might pay additional to
medical, personal effects, fuel spills, etc.

I'm mystified why my broker would write the policy this way and
disappointed that I didn't see this previously.

Before you blame your broker, check and make sure what Uninsured Boater
means to them. Perhaps your broker was really doing you a favor by not
providing double coverage.


Anyone have any insight? Is my broker shortsighted or what?

No, I think your broker was doing it right. I am sure if you asked for more
they would gladly provide it, but it may be redundant coverage.

Rod McInnis