Dinghy development: Towing and insurance....Again

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Towing and insurance....Again

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13007
Printed Date: 03 Jul 25 at 11:39am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Towing and insurance....Again

Posted By: ClubRacer
Subject: Towing and insurance....Again
Date Posted: 01 Mar 18 at 9:32pm

Just in process of renewing my car insurance and have decided to check what Noble (my current boat insurance) put in there policy wordings as to claims related to towing

Have posted the link to the Policy wordings for Dinghies below but have come to the conclusion that:

The Insured Vessel Subject to the terms and conditions of the policy the Vessel and any equipment listed on the policy schedule shall be covered for all costs in respect of:

1.3 Loss or damage to the Vessel whilst it is being transported by road, rail, air or ferry within the specified cruising range

This would mean that any accident on the highway would result in my boat being insured regardless of who's to blame

But later in the policy in Regards to third party claims

SECTION 3 Liability to Third Parties. The Insured will be indemnified in respect of all sums which they shall become legally liable to pay and shall pay up to the limit shown in the policy schedule in respect of any one accident or series of accidents arising out of the same event in respect of

Special Conditions and Exclusions Relating to SECTION 3 The Insurers will not settle a claim in respect of

3.5 Accidents arising whilst the Insured Property is on a private or public highway and is attached to a towing vehicle.

From this I've come to the conclusion that if my boat was to break free on the highway and cause damage to someone else's vehicle noble would not cover said claim and my motor insurance would

What's everyone else's views on trailer cover with motor insurance policys VS Dinghy insurance cover?

Replies:

Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 01 Mar 18 at 10:10pm

My car insurance covers trailer and boat whilst towing it also covers my caravan, if boat falls off trailer, you are covered for third party damage, same if trailer or caravan broke free, or you clipped another vehicle with either, car insurance would not pay for repairs or total loss to caravan or trailer etc.

My caravan is covered fully comp' for crashes etc by it's own insurance and would liase with car insurance etc, but they would pay for repairs or total loss.

Not sure about boat insurance, which is also fully comp', however my house insurance covers all my sports equipment against theft, loss or damage etc, this includes my boats, quite complicated I know, but I would ask your various insurers what they cover.

Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 01 Mar 18 at 11:17pm

It is a veritable minefield. But my experience (gleaned from my recent experience and a couple of years working for an insurance company and studying the subject at college in my youth) bears out what is said above. The car insurance (assuming you have told them a tow bar is fitted to your vehicle) covers third party liability if you damage somebody else's property when towing. The insurance on the trailer/caravan/boat covers damage to the trailer/caravan/boat caused when it is being towed.

The potential grey area is if your house insurance covers 'sporting equipment' (highly unlikely it will cover a caravan) and you probably need to check if it covers a boat being towed to a venue or event. If you have not specified this cover I think it likely that a boat will be excluded, either because of the, usually restrictive, T&Cs small print or because it exceeds a value above which the generic 'sports equipment' cover stops. Bikes are the usual issue here (boats are much less common) and many policies have restrictions or max values above which the bikes have to be listed individually (with an appropriate increase in premium). There are usually conditions relating to securing the item, bikes usually need to be locked to an immovable object, boats, I guess, will not be covered unless locked to the car and so on. So do read the small print, and do ask if you're not sure.......

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 01 Mar 18 at 11:25pm

With Sam on this, if in doubt ask, you would be surprised how cheap some of the add ons are, well worth the time to check.

Posted By: ClubRacer
Date Posted: 02 Mar 18 at 12:08am

That was the main aim, to establish whether you needed to take out trailer cover with your motor insurance to be able to cover damage to third parties property in the unlikely event its the trailer that causes it

Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 02 Mar 18 at 3:45pm

be interesting to see what the answer is from the insurance company about this topic, I wouldn't have thought your home insurance would provide any coverage at all, those guys like to run a mile at the slightest excuse, probably because of all of those comparison sites and direct deals that have left them with much smaller margins

Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 02 Mar 18 at 4:47pm

Not sure that CR is suggesting your home cover can be a substitute for boat specific insurance. I'm pretty sure it won't provide third party cover when sailing but it may provide some cover against accidental damage or theft (probably subject to some draconian conditions).

Just to clarify, most fully comp car policies provide third party cover when towing a trailer and if that is the case you don't need additional trailer cover. But they won't cover damage to or theft of the trailer/boat, that's what your boat insurance is for. If in any doubt about your own cover (boat or car) ask the insurance broker/company the question and ask for confirmation in writing or by email.

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Posted By: andy h
Date Posted: 02 Mar 18 at 4:55pm

I think third party covering risks to other road users but your boat policy covering the boat and associated equipment sounds about right. When I destroyed my Flying Fifteen rig on a road sign (ripping the centre console out of the hull and one of the side supports off the trailer too, not my finest hour), Noble were great and paid for the lot. Was about 20 years ago though.

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Europe AUS53 & FF 3615
National 12 3344, Europe 397 and Mirror 53962 all gone with regret

Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 02 Mar 18 at 5:20pm

When I added stored boats (ie boats I wasn't going to sail, so didn't have normal boat insurance) to my home insurance policy, some years ago now, 90% of small print was to do with bikes, (their is an epidemic of bike thefts), they just wanted details of where they were stored.

Sam is correct, just ask and add if necessary.