Going sailing on a warm afternoon with friends and family may seem like the most relaxing way to spend the day. It is, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable leisurely activities one could possibly think of. However, like all other activities, there is a certain degree of risk that lingers around this carefree activity as well. No matter how seasoned a sailor you are, at some point, you will be at the mercy of other factors that have a greater amount of control over the boat than you do. Usually, marine surveyors believe that a boat is more prone to collision than theft. No matter how careful a person is, at some point, they will have to face at least one situation, if not both or more. To put it simply, boat collisions occur far too frequently to ward it off. Thus, having boat insurance is extremely crucial.
However, you can try to minimize the damages as much as possible by being vigilant yourself. This will ensure that you look after the vessel at all times to keep your vessel out of harm’s way. Make plenty of use of marine charts as they will guide you well. Besides, it goes without saying that you need good quality safety equipment that will protect your boat. Some of them are the sonar devices and EPIRBs that are available. Once these factors are looked after, you can move on to getting boat insurance. Given below are some of the most common boat insurance claims that one must know.
An incident characterized by the boat coming in contact with a submerged object during the cruising process:
This can be easily considered as one of the most common claims. The reason for this is extremely common and something that is beyond a person’s control. A person setting out for a leisurely boat ride is completely unaware of the objects that reside under the calm surface of the water body. There could be a number of objects down under such as wooden logs, debris and the likes and identifying these objects is next to impossible. The only way one can learn about these objects is when the boat’s engine comes in contact with these objects, thus causing a certain level of damage. Although the boat owner is expected to be a little more cautious, these events are completely beyond his control.
Cruising boats:
Marine surveyors believe that sometimes, a boat owner is negligent enough to collide with other boats or cause damage to his/her boat in an accident, thus calling for a claim.
Claims concerning boats that have been anchored:
In a usual situation, boat owners opt for this claim when there has been a theft on the boat while it was securely anchored. This type of claim is usually at its peak during the summers. However, there are ways to protect your vessel from such kinds of theft. Besides, you can even protect the supplies and other such equipment that are commonly found on a boat.
The most common way to do this is by keeping expensive equipment out of reach. Keep them in a place that will not be easily visible. Life jackets, rafts, oars are some of the equipment that can get stolen often. Therefore, it is your duty to keep them safe. Usually, keeping the boats at home is not a very good idea due to which, owners opt for storage facilities. Thus, it goes without saying that you need to be extra cautious when selecting the right type of storage facility for your boats.