Racing Insurance

[Atom Ant 0]

I have questions of you who race. But first let me give you a quick background. Last Sunday there was a collision between two yachts at the start line. The aggrieved boat immediately protested, flag up etc. The offending boat did a 720 and the race carried on without further event. The aggrieved boat has a small puncture wound.

 

Later at the yacht club I put the two skippers together for talks. The offending boats skipper acknowledged that he was at fault. (interestingly he didn't apologise)

 

It turns out that the offending boat owner doesn't have racing insurance while the aggrieved boat owner does. So now the aggrieved boat owner pays an excess while his insurance company pursues the offending boat owner for money.

 

My questions are:

1. Does your club require you to have racing insurance?

2. If it does do you have to prove it? i.e. insurance policy certificate including race cover

3. Do you think that it is the organising clubs responsibility to ensure participants have racing insurance?

4. More out of interest really, but if you find part way through a series that a participant doesn't have race cover, would you chuck him out?

[Changed 10]

Many do, especially the bigger races.

Yes you're required to produce details.

Often it is on the entry requirements.

Probably not as the first moneys recieved are applied to the excess.

[w44vi 17]

1# club racing no

2# no

3# no

4# no

 

If my competitor has not got racing insurance and he is at fault, my insurance company pays for my damage and then will pursue him for costs (same as an uninsured driver)

 

I do think insurance should be compulsory for boat racing, houses and cars

[Farrari 4]

Ditto for me. No to all the above.

 

I would like to think their was an element of sportsmanship, especially in club racing. To acknowledge being in the wrong but not offer an apology is outright rude.

 

I would have expected the offending vessel owner to payup voluntarily. It was his/her decision to race without insurance and take the risk. If they didn't then it's up to the damaged vessel owner to seek compensation either via small claims court or via insurance.

 

The last thing you want to to do is place more responsibility on the organising yacht club and therefore the (mostly) volunteers who run them.

[Guest]

Port Nic NOR for harbour season from last year.

 

13. Insurance

13.1 Each boat that races shall be insured with valid third party liability insurance with a minimum cover of $250,000.00 per event, or the equivalent.

[Fish 0]

I was under the impression racing cover was required, and recently dropped a traumatic sum of money to ensure we have sufficient cover for club racing.

 

In this particular situation there is a clear obligation for the offending party to fix the damage / pay up. it is possible to 'self insure', i.e. don't purchase insurance, but conversly keep enough money in the bank to cover all likely damage.

 

No I don't think an organising authority needs proof. it should be clearly stated as a requirement though, i.e. in the SI's

 

I would be a lot more comfortable if insurance was an explicit requirement and then yes if a competitor was found to not have insurance, kick them out.

 

We've got a mint paint job to think of

[Atom Ant 0]

At least in this situation the aggrieved boat has racing cover and so it will be covered by the insurance company. Obviously the insurance co will pursue the offending skipper for the money and once he's paid up the aggrieved skipper will get his excess back - one hopes. personally I think it is foolish to race without cover but that is MHO.

 

Interesting that you have to pay so much more for racing cover Fish as my premium is the same regardless, it was simply a matter of informing them I was racing and choosing an optional excess.

[Fish 0]

I think it's more to do with our claim history AA

Don't think we actually bothered looking at cover that didn't include racing, it would be like having car insurance that doesn't cover you for driving on a road...

 

Interestingly after 10 years of owning the same boat, the boats value was significantly (40%) more than what we thought she was worth. This is VERY important if you have an 'agreed value' policy and manage the unfotunate effort of a complete loss.

[Fogg 427]

Like most marinas GH make it a mandatory requirement to have insurance that covers liability for third party damage (and they ask for copiues of certs annually) so if the offending boat came from GH marina there is a chance he is covered.

[Guest]

Having witnessed the collision, I think it was a situation we were going to see eventually...

 

That said, I think all boats on the race course should have a minimum of 3rd party.

Even if you are sailing a cheap boat, you need to be aware that just because someone else has forked out for expensive kit, it doesn't mean they can afford to replace it every time you bang into them. Nor should they have to.

Sure, if you bank enough money you can pay up without insurance... But if settled through insurance, the victim knows that repairs will be done properly. If you settle outside of this you risk arguements like: "but I know a guy who can fix it for half that price!!!" - then no-one is happy.

 

I'm not sure about keelboats but the 3.7 costs bugger all to insure, and I have full insurance - racing included. I know it's worth a lot less than a keelboat, but it makes car insurance look like a joke... (it costs less than 1/10th of a car of equal value)

[Atom Ant 0]

The offending boat lives in the river and therefore must have insurance - he just doesn't have racing cover, which is quite short sighted given that he races alot.

[Clive 13]

... skipper acknowledged that he was at fault. (interestingly he didn't apologise)

 

Bad sportsmanship. Shame.

 

Sportsmanship: expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. Being a "good sport" involves being a "good winner" as well as being a "good loser"