Airboat Insurance

[Duane Scarborough]

I've finally purchased insurance for my Mini Airboat.

From suggestions on the S-A forum, I contacted Charter Lakes Marine Insurance, which surprisingly has an agent right here in NC.

The insurance is actually written with St. Paul Fire and Marine.

My "membership" in the S-A forum gave me about a 17 % discount on the premium. (But you've got to ask about it)

I ain't a young wild child, with more balls than brains.

For a VERY reasonable premium, I get $300,000 insurance (each) in Liability, Uninsured Boater, and Pollution Liability. Along with all of the usual stuff. (thief, medical, personal property, trailer, towing, etc.)

If you want insurance, contact Charter Lakes for a quote.

Duane

[buster]

Before spending a lot on boat insurance, check with your homeowners policy. Mine covers my boat automatically. I think they said there is some extra charge if the boat is capable of certain speeds. I have no problem in that area

I did not ask what it all covered other than liability though.

Dave

[Papee]

This is important is you take other people on your boat. You never know someone may get hurt, maybe just by falling out of the boat breaking an arm.

[brlcla]

buster.... check with your insurance again.... airboats are a totally different ball game, but you could be lucky....

i carry a 1 million dollar policy on my boat through markel marine ($300,000) and markel excess ($750,000)... which my agent is sea to sea insurance...

last i heard there were only two underwriters that wrote airboat policies.... markel and american modern....

american modern is very strict on requirements that is why most agency write through markel

[buster]

When we talked to the agent, we explained that it was an airboat. The only thing he was concerned about was "how fast will it go"?

I think the deal is, there are not enough airboats in Minnesota to have been a problem for Insurance companys yet. With all the crazy wave runner riders, racing boats etc., etc. out there, I doubt the Ins. co is too worried about a 72 year old with a 25 mph airboat

I'm not too concerned about it anyway, since I have never had any insurance claim or collision, in my life, and I tend to be a lot more careful now.

Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

All,

The Charter Lakes application actually had a check box for "Airboat". I was a little surprised at that...

I talked with the NC agent on the phone, and explained about it being a new hull, with a NOS 4A084-4 engine, and home built rigging. I also explained that the government rating for the engine was 20 HP, but it really was good for about 45 HP. The policy will list it as 45 HP.

He did ask about max speed, and I told him maybe 35 MPH on a really good day.

I'd talked to my home-owner insurance provider who offered to add a thief / damage only rider (only if it was stolen from or damaged at home), at a cost... and to my auto insurance provider, who wouldn't even touch it. (though they DO insure NORMAL boats)

Some other nationally advertised companies didn't want to touch it either.

Charter Lakes DOES airboat insurance, and it really was a painless process. The S-A / FAA discount changed the deductible from $1,000 to $500 AND reduced the premium by 17%.

You pays your money, and then you take your chances.

Duane

[brlcla]

yes charter lakes writes policies on markel paper....

as i stated there are only two insurance providers that cover airboats.... there are many agents for these two....

charter lakes is a markel agent

sea to sea is an agent for both markel and american modern

at least that is what i found out last year when i bought my policy... things may have changed in the past year

well apparently things did changes... looks like Travelers has started to cover airboats too according to Charter Lakes policy info