[PUP] Offshore insurance

[Hal Wyman]

> My question is this:  How many of you cruising couples have 
> succeeded in acquiring insurance?  
 
After having had insurance covering the inside passage from Seattle to
Alaska for several years, that experience along with a record of offshore
passages as crew and navigator enabled me to get covered for a trip from
Maine to St. Martin via Bermuda and a year and a half Eastern Caribbean
cruise in 1992.  Subsequently in 2000 I was able to get coverage between
Seattle and Nova Scotia with only my wife as crew.  Later I had no problem
getting coverage for the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally

> Was this an instant process or did you have to "earn your stripes"?
>

I don't think I could have gotten the coverage as a neophyte.
 
> Assuming you do NOT have insurance, have you been refused 
> moorage at any marinas in the U.S., Central America, Mexico, 
> or the Lesser Antilles?

I can't recall ever having been asked for proof of insurance in those areas,
but I have been asked in Spain and France.

> Would it be possible to get a "Liability Rider" on my 
> personal insurance that might substitute for Yacht Insurance...

If you have any kind of liability policy (and you should) you can ride on it
I would think, but I am not an insurance expert.  I would talk to Al Golden
at I.M.I.S. in Maryland.  He has insured my boats for many years now.

Hal