United Yacht Sales Weblog

Author: Brooke Hayles

Here is a true story of a dream gone badly. Owning the Ranger Z22 Comanche Bass yacht was a long cherished dream for them. They saved and envisioned the day they would be the proud owners of it. Finally after many years, that day came. They bought the yacht of their dreams, all 22 feet, 300 horsepower of happiness. They were anxious to go to Lake Sinclair in Georgia to christen their new yacht, but they knew the needed to take care of a very important matter first, yacht insurance. They wanted to protect this dream and themselves from harm.

Their local yacht insurance agent stated they needed guest passenger liability, property damage, bodily injury, theft, medical payment coverage along with coverage for physical loss. Now he is the yacht insurance expert so no need to question, right? Well turns out they should not have been in such a hurry to enjoy their new yacht and taken some extra time out to protect it.

Taking solace in the fact their life long dream was protected from damage or accidents, they proceeded to enjoy the dream that had turned into a reality. A rude awakening was about to happen. They lived near the ocean in Georgia. Severe storms are not common in the early summer months, but the ones that do occur are very severe and damaging. They found themselves hit by a powerful hurricane. Their dreamyacht, the cover, trailer, and other equipment were all destroyed. They called their yacht insurance agent and their world turned upside down. They found out after many unanswered phone calls and a visit that they did not have the coverage that they needed to replace their lost dream.

Now after experiencing the fury of a hurricane and the loss of a yacht, they came face to face with the reality that a dream was lost and no hope of immediate recovery or for that matter recovery in the near future. Their yacht insurance provider did not advise them about an option of ‘natural disaster coverage’. This coverage was not standard with the company they chose. Then to top it off, they found out that nothing else was covered. The trailer, cover, fishing equipment, and other articles in the yacht were also lost for good. This was also an optional coverage, and again was not mentioned or suggested.

The reason that we bring this story to your attention is to point out the importance of researching yacht insurance policies and brokers. Even after you chose a broker, you need to discuss all the details of a policy to assure that your dream does not become a nightmare. By taking the necessary steps and finding a top yacht insurance agent, you could possibly save money. Some will offer discounts for taking safe yachting courses, if it has, a diesel engine could be some savings as well.

A few things that are essential, to completely protect your prized yacht. You want to have a yacht insurance coverage that will provide wreck and emergency removal services. Be sure it covers your equipment, motor, trailer, and of course the yacht. Also, be sure of natural disaster coverage no matter where you live. All areas of the country have natural disasters like floods, fire, hail, tornados, lightening and windstorms. You also want to be sure you are covered for acts of vandalism or explosions