Tag Archives: boat insurance

5 tips for weathering the storm

Boating season. Full of sunshine, fresh air, good times … and sometimes storms. Severe weather not only puts a damper on the fun, it can do real damage to your boat or yacht. Luckily, proper storage and a few preventative measures can help it weather the storm.

If you’re storing your watercraft on land, check out these 5 tips to secure it for smooth sailing all summer long. Make sure to share these tips on your social networks for all the boaters in your life.

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For information only. Not applicable to all situations.

5 boat maintenance tips

Spending a bit of time on basic maintenance can help you have fun for years to come. Here are a few  ideas to keep your boat ship-shape.

  1. Keep Things Clean: Boating can be a messy business, but a clean and well-kept boat should last longer than its slimy and unmaintained counterpart. Regularly remove scale and algae scum from the hull and watch out for buildup. Upholstery should be maintained with proper marine cleaners and protectants to avoid replacing it down the road.
  2. Maintain the Battery: Marine batteries can last years if properly maintained. Make sure the battery is secured before every trip and firmly mounted to the boat. Immediately after use, recharge your battery fully to decrease the chance of sulfate deposit buildup. If your battery requires it, make sure its water is at the right level.
  3. Check the Engine: Most boats are run hard on the weekends and left idle for the rest of the week. This irregular use is hard on a boat. That’s why it’s so important to inspect and check all the engines components and fluids every time you go boating. If you find a leak, get it properly repaired right away to prevent further damage and keep toxins out of the water.
  4. Check the Propeller: Your propeller needs to be inspected on a regular basis because any dents, knicks, or dings which can hinder performance, drive up fuel costs, and create internal damage. A few times per season remove the entire propeller in order to remove any built up gunk or debris from your prop shaft and relubricate.
  5. Don’t Stop Now: The end of boating season doesn’t mean the end of boat maintenance. Be sure to have your boat professionally winterized to prevent freezing damage to the engine and hull. Then, make sure it’s properly covered for winter storage.

Keeping up with boat maintenance is the key to your craft’s longevity and safety. Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or you rely on the professionals, take good care of your boat and it should return the favor with years of boating entertainment.

For information only. Not applicable to all situations.

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Steer clear of the storm—we’ll help pay your way

When someone yells, “Get out of the way!” you should. In fact, we’ll pay you for getting out of the way.  One of the benefits of your Boat or Yacht policy is that we’ll cover part of the cost to move your vessel to safety when it’s threatened by a named storm.

A little advance planning is needed. For smaller watercraft you should contract with hauling company to get it to on-land storage when threatened (of course you will need to make that kind of arrangement well in advance). For larger watercraft, it’s much easier just to navigate out of harm’s way in advance. Either way, we’ll reimburse you up to $500 for the cost and a higher reimbursement limit is available as an optional endorsement.

Your agent may provide you with a short form that lets us know where you are normally moored, and where you expect to be during an emergency. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of acting quickly and then showing us your expense receipts later.

You may never need it, but this policy perk will save you both money and a headache if you don’t get out of the way when you can.

For information only. Not applicable to all situations.
Coverage is subject to policy terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, underwriting review, and approval, and may not be available for all risks or in all states. Rates and discounts vary, are determined by many factors and are subject to change. Policies are written by one of the licensed insurers of American Modern Insurance Group, Inc., including American Modern Home Insurance Company d/b/a in CA American Modern Insurance Company (Lic. No 2222-8).