There are several discussions. I will paste below a very long post I did a while ago (since I'm not computer literate enough to know how to do a link):
I almost gave up trying to insure my 19 year old Eliminator 21. The guys specializing in hot boat insurance told me that Markel Performance would not insure any tunnel less than 26', and I kept getting told from others that my boat was too old. Then someone told me just to call Markel's direct marketing number--800-806-9626. They told me to ask for "regular water," which is not one of the automatic options on the machine.
I did not "fudge" at all on the information--boat mfg, model, length, and speed. I make my living working for insurance companies, and I know that a misrepresentation on the application can get you denied with no problem when you have a claim.
The sad thing is that I finally found an agent who was able to get me a quote--from Markel--but I needed to give him a big application for me and each of my sons who would drive the boat, and the premium was several hundred more than the direct deal. Only downside--on the direct thing, for the hull insurance (pays if the boat is stolen, burns up, sinks, etc.), they either have you agree to accept blue book value for one premium, or you value the boat but their payment would be "actual cash value"--what they think it was worth when it is stolen, sinks, or whatever. This was a few hundred more than the straight "I agree to blue book."
The blue book was $4,000 for a boat I paid $10,600 for and I am pretty sure (was looking for 6 months) that I got a very good deal. The policy through the agent would be for a set value, but I would have to have a marine surveyor survey the boat and give a value. I would have had to lobby him. Since liability was my big concern, and I was worried about the experience level of one of my sons for insurance purposes, I went with the direct.
The agent, in case you want to go that way, was Frank Garza at 561-483-5849. I doubt that he has any geographic limits.
For what it is worth, I pay $1186 per year for $300,000 in liability, including waterski liability. I got my insurance in June of 2005.
When I was looking for my boat, I did look around this board to see about insurance. There were lots of people on the board with much hotter bots than mine (STVs and the like) who got insurance through their regular State Farm or Progressive agents for pennies. I was supprised how much trouble I had, but apparently the market had tightened way up since they got their insurance. As soon as I typed "Eliminator" on the on-lin Progressive application, it bounced me--"We don't insure boats from that make."
If you do a search on this board for insurance, you will find a lot--but many of the people recommended by others could no longer write a hot boat. On the other hand, I had a tunnel. Your V may be easier.
Some of the names I came up with from the board:
Ronny Jetmore,
[email protected] helpful, drives a Hydrostream, couldn't get me insurance but sent me to the folks that sent me to Markel. Can't find a number for him.
Marty Reichman--800-557-6952
Buzz Fyrie, 888-fast-ins (mostly offshore boats)
Matt Graham, First Financial Network--may be 866-577-3500, xt 13
Charter Lake Ins, 800-879-2248 (I think they wrote Markel)
World Wide Underwrtiters, 800-339-1235
There is a guy in Long Island who couldn't help me, gave me several ideas and helped a friend--can't find his name here, the friend would have it--email me if you get nowhere with these.
Call me if you want to ask any more--this search wasn't fun. Pat Gent, cell 954-249-3246.
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