Wayne.B wrote:

People are having a great deal of trouble getting insurance on boats
if they have had a claim of any kind in recent memory.

My guess is that Skip will have to self insure at the end of his
current policy. That could be soon if they decide to total the boat.

That could very well be true. Boat US declined to
quote insurance coverage on our powerboat in 2006
after I answered truthfully that we had had a
claim the year before due to "finding" a rock.
The fact that we had not had a claim since buying
our first boat in 1986 until 2005, or that the
entire claim came to $4,100 (Fiberglass repair and
a lower unit) did not even come into play.

Fortunately, the company that had insured us since
1986 (State Farm) did not feel the same way. They
were happy to keep taking our premiums, and the
rate did not even go up. Right now, the Irwin is
insured through State Farm, and the coverage is
good for 30 miles offshore (which will have to
change when we start cruising seriously).

Don W.