There are a few claims that keep popping up. One marine insurance claim department I contacted felt that about 80 percent of their claims are the result of hitting a submerged object.
Category Archives: BoatU.S.
Owning a boat has its risk. Common boat claims
The following is an article I provided for a magazine that is no longer published. But it think the information is still valuable this time of year.
Insurance, (often defined as the transfer of the risk of a potential loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a reasonable fee) is sometimes expected to pay for these regular expenses. Well, let me remind you that wear and tear and maintenance are not covered by insurance.
There are a few claims that keep popping up. One marine insurance claim department I contacted felt that about 80 percent of their claims are the result of hitting a submerged object.
Lightning strikes. Being the one of the tallest things on the water during storms is bound to result in a lightning strike. Lightning usually “fries” the electronics, puts holes in fiberglass and starts fires. It is a hard thing to prevent. Best way to reduce the damage is to ground the boat so the current has a way to pass through to the ground.
There are all sorts of variations along with different levels of each type of claim. Even if you take all the precautions, accidents do happen. Boat owners buy insurance to transfer the risk to the insurance company for those unexpected catastrophes, so make sure you have the right coverage for your vessel and you implement a preventative maintenance plan to help reduce potential claims.
New “Boating Simulator” Lets You Boat Anytime
NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatU.S. Press Room at http://www.BoatUS.com/pressroom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com
BoatUS Foundation’s Virtual Boating Experience is the Next Step in Boater Education
ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 2, 2011 – A new downloadable BoatUS Boating Simulator, provided by the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water aims to use animation, simulation and video to keep boaters on the virtual “water” anytime – and teach them how to navigate through congested and sometimes treacherous waters.
The Boating Simulator’s interactive boating experience – complete with throttle, shifter and chartplotter – makes learning fun. “Research shows that most people use visual cues when learning and when you combine it with active participation, comprehension and retention increase,” said BoatUS Assistant Director of Boating Safety Ted Sensenbrenner. “Simply put, you learn while you’re having a great time driving the boat.”
The Simulator, which utilizes your keyboard, mouse and arrow keys to operate, is free to download at www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/games. During the game’s voyage, players must use all of the tools at their disposal to navigate around aids to navigation as well as shallow water and other vessel traffic. Along the way you could be penalized for violating speed zones, approaching too close to another vessel or navigating out of bounds.
This is the third interactive video game offered by the BoatUS Foundation that puts new or seasoned boaters alike behind the helm of a virtual boat. The first two games, DockIt! and NavigateIt!, teach docking and navigation skills respectively. All BoatUS Foundation games are provided at no cost at www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/games and BoatUS membership is not required to play.
For the Boating Simulator, a standard home PC with Windows XP or newer and a DirectX 9.0 compatible video card is required. Simply follow the on-screen instructions and prompts to download to your computer.
About the BoatUS Foundation:
The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Funded primarily by the half million members of BoatUS, it provides innovative educational outreach directly to boaters and anglers with the aim of reducing accidents and fatalities, increasing stewardship of America’s waterways and keeping boating safe for all. To make a tax-deductible donation to this 501(c)(3) nonprofit, go to www.BoatUS.com/foundation.