HELP! WE NEED INSURANCE!

Hello everyone. We are Mark and Sue Boyter. We are about to join the Island Packet Family as we have a new 439 under construction: 439-09, "Redeemed." Everyone we have met who is even remotely associated with IP has been extremely friendly, welcoming and informative. That includes factory workers and owners alike. 

We need to secure insurance, so we thought we should ask the experts on which carriers you would recommend. And, who to avoid. We have limited sailing experience, but we hope to make up for that somewhat with training. We are both going to attend the 90 day (in residence) Chapman's School of Seamanship, graduating just before "Redeemed" launches in June. We fully understand that boat insurance has hardened in the last few years for sailors of all experience levels. 

Also, we are going into this with eyes wide open. So any words of wisdom that you have for a couple of newbies will be well received. Many thanks in advance for your advice and we look forward to meeting you all on the water. 

Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Mark and Sue Boyter
SV "Redeemed"
 

Good morning, Mark & Sue.  You're definitely going to need to work through a broker/insurance agent.  When we insured Gracefull in March 2020 none of the companies we spoke with directly would work with us as individuals directly for anything over $300k, even companies with which already had a relationship (USAA and their partners).  We wound up with Geico, but a month ago they sent cancellation notices out because they've apparently decided to drop marine insurance.  Now we're with Progressive (a USAA partner who insures our other boat, but wouldn't talk with us directly).  The broker/agent told us that the market is in turmoil right now.

One potential complication to be aware of is the cruising grounds you need coverage for.  We plan to spend several months in the Bahamas next winter, and Progressive offers a rider to permit cruising to the Bahamas, but with a proviso that the stay has to be 30 days or less.  We don't intend to touch U.S. soil every 30th day, so we're going to have to find someone new before we go.  Broker/agent told us to seek better coverage next December/January, just before we head over because everything is likely to change by then.

Broker we're working with is Wallace Welch & Willingham in St. Pete.  w3ins.com.  We've been happy with them so far.

Thank you so much Lawrence. We will contact Wallace, Welch and Willingham today. Since we are in Largo often to visit the factory, we can easily jog over and meet with them in St. Pete.

Yours is not the first warning we have had about how much WHERE you cruise will affect your ability to get insurance. I am sure that we will get a in depth education once we start talking to the brokers.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. This is as topic that every cruiser on every forum is interested in. It is an universal problem.

Regards,
Mark

Mark and Sue:
We bought the JACKLINE INSURANCE product now managed by Gowrie Group.
www.gowrie.com/Marine-Insurance/JacklineProgram.aspx
The broker I use is Rachel Sloan, I recommend you email her and ask her for a quote and also see is she can help,. Tell her you are in our IPYOA group and that you want their best service for an Island Packet owner. She can help.
[email protected]

Hayden

Hi Mark. John here. Our 439 hull (#19) will start getting laid up in November, next month.  ‘Saw Redeemed on the island packet YouTube channel. Fabulously done!  Bravo and congratulations!

‘Wondering how you made out with insurance. We’re facing the same challenge.

I have plenty of sailing experience and have tested out of all the certification requirements on the occasions that I’ve chartered on the Pacific, Chesapeake and in the Caribbean..

Do you mind sharing any details re your search, vendor, deal, or otherwise?

-John

WE FOUND INSURANCE!
Many thanks to those of who you who responded to our request for insurance information. Darrell Allen of IPY recommended Russell Jamieson, Vice President of Atlass Group.

Russell was able to find us insurance even with our lack of experience. He is a full service broker who even helped us with our dingy. Russell helped me with a hurricane plan well ahead of Hurricane Ian. Along with help and advice from IPY and the Harborage Marina, our stout little ship came through fine.

Russell Jamieson, Risk Strategies with Atlass Group. [email protected], telephone 321-459-1471.

Please tell him that Mark and Sue Boyter sent you.

Once again, thank you to all who offered advice. We look forward to being out there with you soon.

Fair Winds, Following Seas,
Mark and Sue Boyter
IP 439 #9
"Redeemed "