Personal marine & recreational vehicle: Markets abound

Rough Notes, Feb 1998 by Clapp, Wallace L Jr

Travel trailers and motor homes are written with Aegis Insurance. For travel trailers the choice is comprehensive with $50 deductible collision; comp with $100 deductible collision, or comp only. Personal effects, fire department service protection, emergency expense, towing and labor, vacation liability are added at no additional cost. Motor homes are written with liability limits up to $100/$300/$50. Basic first-party benefits include medical expense, income loss benefits and funeral expense. Optional coverages in addition to those provided for travel trailers are personal effects, scheduled medical benefits, secured interest protection and extraordinary medical benefits.

Cigna Recreational Marine, 1601 Chestnut St., Two Liberty Pl., TLP 34, Philadelphia, PA 19192-2345; (215) 761-6835; fax: (215) 761-5471 (Richard S. Weidman, Jr.). This insurer writes yachts and pleasure boats and marinas in all states. Maximum hull coverage is $20 million or more. Maximum primary and excess liability limits vary according to vessel and program.

Business is emphasized from the Great Lakes, West Coast, Chesapeake Bay and upstate New York, and storm-protected East Coast regions. The coverage includes towing, uninsured boater, newly acquired boats and legal expenses.

Commodore Marine Insurance, 2400 E. Katella Ave., Ste. 300, Anaheim, CA 92806; (800) 221-3884; fax: (714) 939-5602 (David Worden). This marine specialist writes personal boat and yacht coverages, ranging from personal watercraft to mega yachts, jet skis, waverunners, runabouts, ski boats, houseboats, sailboats, cruisers, sportsfishers, multi-hull boats. Hull values may be covered up to $50 million in value. Navigational limits fall within the capabilities of the vessel and her owner.

The firm also has facilities for marinas, boat dealers.

The agency can service agents in most states, but the concentration of business is written in CA and the West Coast. Lead companies include Cigna, Northland, Fireman's Fund, Zurich/Maryland.

Connecticut Underwriters Inc., 329 Main St., P.O. Box 316, Portland, CT 06480-0316; (860) 342-0713; (800) 243-3712 (o/s CT); fax: (860) 342-4392 (Christine A. Curran). This specialty wholesaler writes yachts and pleasure boats, jet skis, houseboats and marinas. The agency services agents and brokers in New England.

The agency offers a yacht and pleasure boat program and a personal watercraft program through American Modern Insurance Group. Coverage is available for the average boat up to 40 feet and $60,000 in value. This program includes jet skis, houseboats, jet and bass boats. A marina program is available.

The yacht and pleasure boat package includes hull and motors, miscellaneous boat equipment, trailers, watercraft liability and waterskiing/towing liability, medical payments and uninsured boater coverage. Personal effects coverage is optional.

The agency also has access to markets at Lloyd's, Cigna, Royal and U.S. Specialty

The firm also writes travel trailers and motor homes in all New England states except MA.