Roger Long wrote:
It isn't the cost but the fact that coverage at a level most of us
would consider necessary to operate our boats responsibly simply isn't
available, at any cost. Add to that the fact that juries will hand
out judgements about ten times higher in an aviation case than they
would for the same level of negligence or honest mistake in a boat or
car. They understand boating but start out with the idea that anyone
stupid enough to go up in and airplane is guilty of something even
before there is an accident. Let's face it, flying is also more
dangerous.

The equivalent situation in boating would be if you could only get the
present typical coverage levels if you were a retired 2000 ton Master,
all Oceans, who wanted to coverage only for a 30 foot power boat in
local waters during the summer.

It used to be that you could get aviation coverage on your homeowner's
umbrella policy to cover catastrophic judgements beyond your aviation
insurance but they have eliminated that option by requiring underlying
aviation coverage that is no longer obtainable.

This situation is certainly coming to boating so get out on the water
while you can. We have a ways to go though. Here's the barometer:

Adding the boating endorsement to our catastrophic loss umbrella
policy cost $35. If I could have gotten the unobtainable aviation
coverage upgrade, we would have had to pay $650 for the umbrella
endorsement.


Yeah, but in a light plane, I'd figure you're not very likely to walk
away from a bad accident - so not as much need to carry insurance...

Evan Gatehouse