Great Lakes Towing insurance

[Gary Ryan]

We recently purchased a used Hunter 386. We have insurance which has $1500 in emergency towing coverage. Being newbies, we may get stuck from time to time. Not sure. From Youtube, a couple that was sailing purchased some Towing coverage pretty cheap. Just wondering if $1500 is reasonable coverage, or should we be looking at some additional coverage.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[dlochner]

Join BOAT/US, just $85 for unlimited towing in freshwater, that and it is a good organization to support.

https://www.boatus.com/BoatUSMembershipExpress/join.aspx?programtype=MWSBUSJOIN&promocode=HEWEBPT2

 

[Dalliance]

Boat US membership is about the best value tow insurance you can get. I‘m not sure how coverage with your insurance company works. It may effectively be out of pocket until they pay the claim.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Assuming your existing $1500 coverage exists in your boat insurance policy, just raise the limit to whatever you feel comfortable with.

It will cost only a few dollars and certainly cheaper than any private tow service which is self-limiting to just that one tow company. Our add’l insurance is $8 and provides unlimited coverage and we can call any tow service anywhere.

 

[duality]

my wife had to get towed in on the jet ski in new buffalo, (no kindred boaters helped her, i was out of town) boat us would have charged her $950, thankfully we had their freshwater coverage mentioned above.
mike

 

[Project_Mayhem]

my wife had to get towed in on the jet ski in new buffalo, (no kindred boaters helped her, i was out of town) boat us would have charged her $950, thankfully we had their freshwater coverage mentioned above.
mike

Man I'm sorry to hear your wife had such a bad experience. Our motor mount broke right in front of the inlet of New Buffalo. We had two or three people offer to help lift the motor into the cockpit. For the curious ones the motor sucked in some water which I didnt discover until a week later. Pulled plugs, hit starter, reinstalled and it started right away!

As for towing coverage on water I have it through Progressive. They sent TowBoatUS when our mount broke. Well worth the $60 a year. For those with trailers I have Good Sam Roadside assistance. Together the two cover more and it costs less than BoatUS

 

[dlochner]

As for towing coverage on water I have it through Progressive. They sent TowBoatUS when our mount broke. Well worth the $60 a year. For those with trailers I have Good Sam Roadside assistance. Together the two cover more and it costs less than BoatUS

Remember, insurance rates are based in part on your claims history. More claims, increased premiums.

 

[FastOlson]

A bit under a decade ago, we drove our boat onto a sandy shelf.... tacked a moment too late... 18 kts true, heeled way over.... straightened up and buried the keel a foot deep. Stuck solid. Lots of kinetic energy to account for -- 11K of boat, 6 knots.


Our towing insurer, BoatUS, responded to a cel phone call, and towed us off - twin big OB's on his boat.
The towing skipper, Ted, was/is very capable and an all-round good guy.
Handed me a billing form for about $700. and "Paid" was written on it.

Close to a decade of premiums was justified in one incident.

Being conservative, I did have the boat hauled a week later when the yard had a schedule opening for the travelift... not even a sign of a crack or a problem at the keel/hull joint. Boat is very tough, constructed by Ericson.

We are fans of what is nowadays renamed TowBoatUS. Link: TowBoatUS Portland Oregon

If you have this service in your area I would recommend getting a quote from them.

ps: Gary, soon you can rename your boat "Clewed In" .....