Insurance again

[Garry R]

I have just had my insurance quote from Bishop Skinner now Bluefin and was shocked to see it has doubled to almost £300 for both Merlins total value (including the trailer) of £2900. Apparently the underwriters have looked at the claims being made by Merlin owners for carbon masts and the wooden mast and alloy mast vintages have been lumped in with them hence the steep rise. Anyone have any recent quotes a bit better than this?

[roger]

Interestingly I emailed Noble yesterday and outline the situation with Shoestring only being sailed four or fivetimes a year and being a chrieshed boat and hardlyin the same calibre as a modern racing dinghy. I await their reply. Still got a week before Bosham.

[Nessa]

I would also try noble. I had this discussion with them recently about the moth. I pointed out that it wasn't yr typical flying machine adn they admitted that the 'one size fits all' online quote system doesn't always work. They were very good adn gave me a much more realsitic quote given what I sail for ie fun, the age of the boat etc, but also allowed me new for old cover.

[Pat]

Try actually talking to BS and see if you can negotiate a reduction. Mine with BS less than a month ago was £95 for the policy with Half Cut and the Albacore and their trailers and trolleys.

[Stephen Hawkins]

I have recently insured both the National 12 and the Merlin at insurance4dingies a web based outfit - but the company behind them are Towergate Mardon.

Both boats are on thier gold policy (National racing, etc) and both boats are insured for £500 - i.e. what I paid for them (ish).

National 12 £48
Merlin Rocket £52

The Merlin policy has actually dropped since last year (perhaps I have some no claims bonus)

I was being quoted £90-£110 last year, when I could find a broker that would ensure a Merlin!

[roger]

Noble have just mailed me and asked forpics and current market value of Shoestring. How the hell do you value a unique boat. Any ideas?

What would you value her at £1000 or more. If damaged or lost she couldnt be replaced.

[Garry R]

Having phoned them and explained the situation as regards the old boats BS wrote to me and the premium has dropped from £296 to £117. Result!! So do phone if you think you are being grouped with the carbonators.

PS Roger - the new queen is laying!! Will phone soon

[JimC]

couldn't be replaced

Its difficult... As you say if the boat were to be genuinely destroyed no money could compensate you so what's the point... However if something intermediate happens then you want to be insured for enough to make it possible to get back to a reasonable position... Torn sails, a broken mast, that sort of thing, its as well to have some cover for that sort of eventuality.

[Mikey]

Interesting Garry. Have used Bluefin for a number of years and very little change. This year quote for M/R 235 & 2701 (both £500 each) was £98.

Mike Liggett

[Pat]

I've got Half Cut covered for £1000 on the basis that the value needs to be high enough for repairs to be economic or a mast to get replaced rather than the boat "written off" at the insured value if something such as a mast break happened.
And have you seen the replacement cost of trailers and trolleys? Seems to have rocketed lately.

There's also the small print to check. So far I've found that boats must be tied down in the dinghy park as they've had too many blown over and causing damage to others and also trailers must be locked, preferably clamped. And boats must not be left in the water unattended - never sure if being on Shearwater's jetty counts as unattended but gunwhales certainly get damaged there. Any more small print clauses in our policies?

[roger]

I had a nice email from Sarah at Noble who told me that I could have standard Hornet cover for £135.00 I did point out that she was hardly the same machine as a modern Hornet in my first email but hey ho thats the way in goes.

[Obscured by clouds]

Insurance4dinghies [with whom I already insure Julia Dream] would'nt even consider insuring Unit2/7 - as it was'nt on their 'list'.

Have shot a email off to Noble [with pics] in the hope that they will consider her. I'll wait on them before doing the same with other companies.

If I can't get insurance then Unit2/7 won't be coming out to play at Whitefriars

[whacko!]

Fireball 6 is insured through Craftinsure who are quite happy to acknowledge that she should be assessed differently to a conventional Fireball and have reduced the premium appropriately. It's worth having a chat....

Chris Turner
Fireballs 6, 66 and 14463

[JimC]

Craftinsure insured my PlusPlus, which was the only one in the world, so the'll consider anything. It was fairly amusng seeing that as an option on their on line quote system:-)

[Obscured by clouds]

Noble want £122 for comp insurance which is way high IMO, especially since the only racing I am contemplating is at the CVRDA meet Conversely 3rd party is £42.

I'm now waiting on Craftinsure.