Hi boatin' folks,

I have recently bought a 1968 Lazy Days, 43', aluminum hull. I'm worried
that I won't be able to keep it due to problems getting insurance. I have
2 speeding tickets and 1 running a red light against me in the past year,
and this is my first houseboat so I have no experience. Also no boating
safety courses to help out. All I really want is liability...at least to start with.
One company said they will give me full coverage for about $460/year,
but I'm afraid they will eventually turn me down because of the traffic
violations, and also the age of the boat. I tried Boat US, and they turned
me down because of my driving record and lack of experience with
houseboats. They did get me a quote from another company--$1100/yr
for just liability, and that required an out of water survey done on the
boat which would be another $1K or more most likely. Can anyone
suggest a company that might help me out and be affordable? Would
a boating safety course or more help me out, and if so which ones and
how to take them? This is all new to me, and I'm in a world of confusion.

Thanks for any help!!!
David

If all you want is liability insurance--which no boat owner should be
without IMO--consider just buying a personal liability umbrella policy
from your homeowners insurance carrier. $2 mil is typically under
$300/year.

The most iiability coverage included in most boat insurance policies
only 300-500k...which is peanuts if you should get sued these days.
Which is why I always carried another $2 mil umbrella...'cuz when you
get sued for anything arising out of your possible liability, it doesn't
matter which "pocket" the money to cover your behind is in, as long as
you have a full pocket somewhere. And with your driving record, I think
you'd better have one.
--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327

http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html

"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
...
If all you want is liability insurance--which no boat owner should be
without IMO--consider just buying a personal liability umbrella policy
from your homeowners insurance carrier. $2 mil is typically under
$300/year.

The most iiability coverage included in most boat insurance policies
only 300-500k

The umbrella policies I looked at required you to maintain some level of
liability insurance on the insured item, if available. ( a boat needs it, a
lawn mower doesn't).The policy I purchased , with a $1M limit, requires a
$100,000 limit liability policy on my boat. The umbrella picks up at
$100,001 in liability coverage, I suspect that the level of boat liability
insurance is what drives the umbrella premium cost. My policy costs more
than $300/year, maybe I should look around.
A major advantage in having an umbrella policy is that it gives the
insurance company
a greater incentive to defend you in court.

John Wentworth wrote:
The umbrella policies I looked at required you to maintain some level of
liability insurance on the insured item, if available. ( a boat needs it, a
lawn mower doesn't).

I don't think we're talking about the same thing, John.

most insurance companies won't write only a personal liability policy
though--they want your homeowners too. My homeowners, vehicle and
umbrella are all with USAA...my boats never have been. I don't recall
their ever asking for proof that my boat was insured when I bought the
umbrella...otoh, it's been a while. I do remember that they pulled a
credit report and DMV, though.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html

Yes, I think we are talking about the same thing. Most umbrella policies are
a secondary coverage, that's why it's cheap. The policy doesn't get hit
until the primary coverage is exhausted.
That said, there are probably a thousand variations on insurance policies,
and a thousand different riders on those thousand policies. With the right
company, and the right premium, you can get any policy you want. Who knows,
there may be a company that will assume all liability up to $2M, from dollar
one, for all threats, for $300/year. I just haven't found them yet.
With such a policy you could eliminate the liability portion of all other
policies.

"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
...
John Wentworth wrote:
The umbrella policies I looked at required you to maintain some level of
liability insurance on the insured item, if available. ( a boat needs
it, a
lawn mower doesn't).

I don't think we're talking about the same thing, John.

most insurance companies won't write only a personal liability policy
though--they want your homeowners too. My homeowners, vehicle and
umbrella are all with USAA...my boats never have been. I don't recall
their ever asking for proof that my boat was insured when I bought the
umbrella...otoh, it's been a while. I do remember that they pulled a
credit report and DMV, though.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html

Sorry, I forgot to post
http://personalinsure.about.com/cs/u...a110503a.htm#b

Peggie Hall wrote in message ...
If all you want is liability insurance--which no boat owner should be
without IMO--consider just buying a personal liability umbrella policy
from your homeowners insurance carrier. $2 mil is typically under
$300/year.

Would a bad driving record effect the premium of a umbrella liability
policy?

And (going back to something the OP mentioned), why would an insurance
company require an out of water survey to write a liability only
policy?

The most iiability coverage included in most boat insurance policies
only 300-500k...which is peanuts if you should get sued these days.
Which is why I always carried another $2 mil umbrella...'cuz when you
get sued for anything arising out of your possible liability, it doesn't
matter which "pocket" the money to cover your behind is in, as long as
you have a full pocket somewhere. And with your driving record, I think
you'd better have one.

In a thread I started a few days ago, I passed on that the Coast Guard
is considering a regulation change that will *allow* states to require
proof of liability insurance in order to register your boat. I am
opposed to the change and submitted comments to the CG on it - but I
wholeheartedly agree that liability insurance is important. My
policies provide me with liability on all three of my boats -
including the 7ft Livingston.

Not to mention that my marina REQUIRES that I have liability coverage
with them listed as named insured.

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 01:24:40 GMT, wrote:

Hi boatin' folks,

I have recently bought a 1968 Lazy Days, 43', aluminum hull. I'm worried
that I won't be able to keep it due to problems getting insurance. I have
2 speeding tickets and 1 running a red light against me in the past year,

I had no problem getting a full policy through Progressive.

I had to pay a tad more (maybe 10%) because we just stipulated the value of the
boat. I'm paying about $450/yr for full coverage, adn my driving record is not
all that great.

HTH,
Joe Parsons


and this is my first houseboat so I have no experience. Also no boating
safety courses to help out. All I really want is liability...at least to start with.
One company said they will give me full coverage for about $460/year,
but I'm afraid they will eventually turn me down because of the traffic
violations, and also the age of the boat. I tried Boat US, and they turned
me down because of my driving record and lack of experience with
houseboats. They did get me a quote from another company--$1100/yr
for just liability, and that required an out of water survey done on the
boat which would be another $1K or more most likely. Can anyone
suggest a company that might help me out and be affordable? Would
a boating safety course or more help me out, and if so which ones and
how to take them? This is all new to me, and I'm in a world of confusion.

Thanks for any help!!!
David

I have recently bought a 1968 Lazy Days, 43', aluminum hull.

Fwiw...Lazy Days are steel hull boats, not aluminum.

Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 16:57:29 GMT, Peggie Hall wrote:

I have recently bought a 1968 Lazy Days, 43', aluminum hull.

Fwiw...Lazy Days are steel hull boats, not aluminum.

Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html

Thank you for telling me about the umbrella Peggie...I've checked
into it with one company, and will do so with some others.
The Lazy Days I just bought is definately an aluminum hull--which
is the reason I bought it--and I believe that they all are. All of the ones
I've seen are anyway...maybe you just got it backwards. What does
fwiw mean?