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Towing Insurance

AlanO

Member II
I'll be cruising in the Puget Sound/British Columbia area and I'm evaluating whether to get towing insurance via Boatus ($165/year) or SeaTow ($199/year) versus an add-on to my regular marine insurance. My marine insurance provider will provide coverage up to $2,500 per incident and for $1,000 of coverage, the extra premium is around $17/year. Even at the max coverage (say $50/year) its a lot cheaper than Boatus or SeaTow.

I can imagine that a tow from a commercial tow service can add up pretty quickly. I've seen a couple of tow insurance outfits claim commercial outfits charge upwards of $300/hour and that doesn't surprise me.

I imagine that almost everyone that owns an old boat has experienced some unanticipated costs that were a bitter pill to swallow. Just like other types of insurance this is a cost versus risk calculation. So I'm wondering if people that have used Boatus towing insurance have felt like they got their money's worth out of the service. Are there other benefits beyond the basic towing that have proven useful? I'm trying to get a feel about the range of folks that never need a tow or seem to need a tow on a regular basis (so sorry!). If you ever needed a commercial tow and paid out of pocket, what was the hourly rate?

I figure in Puget Sound we're probably no more than a few hours from a dock (okay, maybe not the home dock) under tow. Granted, a commercial outfit will likely start charging when they leave their dock and stop when they get back.

Thanks.

Alan
 

Dave G.

1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
On the Great Lakes BoatUS unlimited costs $90 annually (season only 6 months though). I've had their coverage for 2 years now and have not had to use it yet(knocking on wood..). Know folks that have though and they were happy with their service. For me at the least it's pretty cheap peace of mind. Who does your insurance company use for their tow coverage ? I would check that out first as the important part of this coverage is how fast they can get to you first and foremost. Also check the locations of BoatUS & Seatow to see which would be closest to you majority of the time and ask around about who's most responsive in your area.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
A lot of fans on the forum, for the obvious reason: a tow home some day. I've used BoatUS twice in ten years (before my 32-3's cockpit panel got rewired.) If the engine won't start with a cockpit full of guests and the sun going down, it nice to know it's there. I have AAA too, and cars are more reliable than boats.
 

driftless

Member III
Blogs Author
On Lake Michigan, Boat U.S. towed me about half a mile from the outer harbor into my slip after an engine failure. $500 for coming out. It may have taken an hour start to finish. Luckily, my insurance (American Family) covered everything, no questions asked, no deductible. Boat US threw in a "free" membership for the rest of the year. I renewed the membership for this season. I have a sneaking suspicion my insurance premium would go up after another tow or two. Have not used any of the additional Boat US benefits, other than maybe a few reward points from West Marine. Their magazine is pretty decent.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Just got this in an email regarding my GIECO/BoatUS insurance policy renewal. They offer an unlimited towing endorsement (which I pay for) that is much cheaper than the standard TowBoatUS package. I've used it once, for a 3+ hour tow to haulout after my PSS ruptured. I paid zero for the tow, and my insurance rate did not go up afterward.

"Water towing is covered by our low cost TowBoatU.S. endorsement featuring Unlimited Towing for the insured vessel. TowBoatU.S. is the nation's largest fleet with over 600 vessels standing by 24/7 to assist with breakdowns, battery jumps and soft ungroundings. We will dispatch assistance and pay the towing service provider directly. Look for the endorsement in your renewal documents for details."
 

southofvictor

Member III
Blogs Author
My insurance carrier offers tow insurance but our broker recommended BoatUS instead so that’s the way we went. Broker said it’s a more comprehensive plan with fewer loopholes for only a small cost premium. And I agree with Driftless - their magazine is pretty useful.
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Warning: Boat US will sell “unlimited towing” insurance to you, even if that service is not offered where you live or boat. (“Oh, we don’t do that. But thanks for all the money!”) Well who knows, you could sail to some place where the service is offered, just in time for a failure.
 
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