Boat Insurance

[Sean.C]

Has anyone out there got insurance on their boat? The insurer won\'t cover it under the household policy; alternative so far is marine insurance with hibernian...€150.00. Is this good...bad...average?? (Boat value about €2400)

[Dermot]

Hi Sean,

I understand Allianz do one for kayaks under their small craft section. I think it costs around €100 per annum, up to a value of approx €2500 for theft etc (insures the boat - not personal insurance). It may also include a third party element? It \'only\' covers as far as La Rochelle (France) - and not sure how far East / West / North! (For those of you who went to Brittany - thats as far south as it is always windy and rainy!)

btw - I think Julian posted a question somewhat related about personal insurance while sea kayaking. Some of the adventure clubs / organisations provide annual cover which includes sea kayaking; and many specifically exclude or infer exclusion. I know TrailFinders travel company does have an annual trip policy which includes many adventure activities specifically including sea-kayaking, and I am sure there are others.

Hope this helps,
Dermot

[Sean.C]

Thanks Dermot,
Yeah just off the phone with Allianz there,
They will cover for theft, vandalism, storm damage and public liability up to 1.5million. All for €95 with €95.00 excess. Good enough for me!
Thanks

[Chancer]

You never know when and under what circumstances you might need insurance- parked my car with boat on top reversed into the wall at the Club carpark in Dalkey. Came out to find my boat sideways on the roofrack with the roof bars twisted and the J-Bars bent flat.Took a while to undo the tangle. The electric gates operated after I had parked and the gate drove into the back of my (thankfully plastic) boat driving it sideways with incredible force. If I had a fibreglass boat I guess I would now be the owner of two fobreglass boats -sort of. The boat survived the ordeal which is a tribute to its inherent strength. Beware the gates when parking there.
Mick

[michaelcheers]

That reminds me of something I saw in my early days of paddling when I watched a fibreglass home made Comanche being smashed to peices by the toll barrier of the Mersey Tunnel in Liverpool. The guy who owned it was driving the car as well and he drove right up to the toll barrier so that it was inches from the windcreen whilst messing around but forgetting that the boat was on the roof. Each time the barrier tried to go up it took a chunk out of the boat and as he tried to extricate himself he discovered that a queue of cars had built up behind preventing his escape. The boat was a write off but I believe the barrier noe the worse for wear.

It was one of the funniest boat destructions I\'ve seen - not sure if the insurance would cover it though.

[niallmadden]

Hi,

For what its worth, there is a feature on this topic in the June issue of Sea Kayaker magazine. See
[ul]http://www.seakayakermag.com/2007/June07/Backup01.htm[/ul]

Niall.