Ordering nuw R-25 tug

commander bill

New member
Ordering new R-25 Tug. Checking on insurance. Called USAA who already gets a significant portion of my income. However, I have had excellent service on autos & home policies. However, when I bought a motorhome last year they refered me to an outside agency since they have decided not to continue writing new policies on "speciality vehicles" (they honor existing polocies). Well they did it again with the boat. Agency was one I have never heard of & I immediately forgot their name when they told me $1250/year. What are you guys paying for R-25 insurance. I am getting trailer and keeping boat on trailer locked away on my farm for a significant portion of the time. Will use a slip for limited periods during portion of year when I can use boat in evenings after work(I will work 5 minitutes from boat).
 
I'm a huge fan of USAA for most insurance and like you, they take a chunk out of my checking account every month. But I knew from past experience that they were not the place to go for boat insurance and didn't even ask.

Went through Progressive and ended up with a policy underwritten by Progressive but written by Drive Insurance. Seems to be good coverage and includes roadside assistance which I've used already to deal with a flat tire on the trailer in an awkward situation - that alone made it a good deal. The premium is right at $500 per year.
 
Although we have the 22', we as well as several others on this site have switched to Progressive and have saved $ when comparing to other insurance providers. (Fortunately, I've not had to submit any claims, so I'm unable to address that aspect).
 
Cdr Bill, Like you, I have USAA insurance and have been a member since 1966. When I contacted them for insurance, they put me in contact with Progressive Drive. Phone #: 1-800-925-2886. My policy with them is for $559 for our R-25. I hope this is helpful. Congratulations.
 
Progressive is a good company and they insure my bike (no one else would.) However, Journey On is insured by State Farm, as is everything else we own. The key thing I like about State Farm, is that they cover trips into Canada and Mexico, and don't have seasonal exclusions. I'd be interested in how far north and south Progressive covers. A lot of C-Dory's go into Canada, and could use coverage. And of course there are those who live in Canada.

Read the fine print, as always. Example: if you read the number of my posts, 2 more and I'll be at 1/10 of Sea Wolf. I'm trying. Joe, your posts are well worth reading, I just don't have as much worth saying.

Boris
 
Thanks, Progressive is who USAA refered me to for my motorhome and the policy is cheaper than others I had contacted. I would hope their service is as good as USAA has been in past (member since 1972). When I called USAA about estimate for the boat they refered me to a third company (not Progressive). I guess I will call progressive)
 
We have been USAA members since 1967 and they have never written big boat insurance--just farmed it out. For the small boats they were writing up until the hurricanes a couple of years ago--after that, they stopped with the smaller boats also. (The Center console I purchased at salvage auction after Ivan was a USAA insured boat).

I have used Progressive for my boats for the last 6 years and had very good service--only one claim, and that was when I hit a small stick with a bravo III outdrive and it chiped a tooth on the gears--eventually lost all of the teeth. Since the debris was hurricane related, my mechanic suggested that I file a claim with Progresssive. They sent an adjustor right over and covered the full amount less the deductable, for a new outdrive. No hassle--paid the mechanic directly--no rate increase in future years.

BUT, at least last year, Progressive (and other companies) were not insuring any new boats over $100,000 on the Gulf Coast. So I just insured the TC 255 for 100K--and will self insure for the rest. No problem with the CD 25. There was also a policy that no boats over 30 feet would be insured, and that there had to be a hurricane plan. Not sure how that relates to all of the Gulf Coast--but at one point it applied to Fl, AL, MS, LA and TX.

I also looked at "yacht policies"--and they were very expensive, with higher deductables. It would have cost me over $2,500 a year to cover the difference between the boat's cost and $100,000. This is for a boat which is normally lift stored, and put on its trailer and taken inland when a named storm is nearby.
 
Thanks Dr Bob, I guess insurance for boats along the gulf coast is going the same way that it has for houses. Although I live in Alabama it is only about an hour from Chattanooga (>330 miles from gulf) so all huricanes mean to us is extra rain. However, insurance companies will likely lump all Alabama residents into same category. I still have a couple of months to wait on boat so I will shop around.
 
I used Boat US for a few years until I sold CAPTAIN'S CHOICE and got CAPTAIN'S CAT. That policy was about $240 a year on the 22. They quoted a far out price on the TC255 so I used Progressive, did it all on the 'net and insured that boat and SALLY'S CHOICE (a Gloucester 22 sailboat) for about $550 a year. Pretty good deal I think.

Charlie
 
Does Progressive cover your boats for Mexico, Canada and Alaska, and/or can you buy extra coverage for those cruises? I want to be covered in Baja and going north from here. I realize I will probably also have to buy Mexican liability insurance when I am in Mexico.

Thanks,
Warren
 
Lori Ann":1rro65ed said:
Does Progressive cover your boats for Mexico, Canada and Alaska, and/or can you buy extra coverage for those cruises?
Thanks,
Warren

Realize that the following info. is for a 22' cruiser, not the larger vessels you folks are inquiring about, but perhaps this will give you an idea of the coverage that you may be able to obtain through Progressive.

My annual premium for Progressive Insurance is $526. This includes coverage for all of the U. S. and Canada and coastal navigation out to 75 nautical miles. Other features of my policy include.... liability 300K, uninusured/underinsured boater 100K, medical pmts $10,000 each person, Comprehensive and Collision $80K agreed value (which includes the trailer), $2,500 emergency watercraft towing and labor (each incident), and roadside assistance.
 
I also asked specifically about Mexico and the Bahamas, as well as Canada and Alaska. My policy is very similar to DaveS, with a couple exceptions--one is a higher liability and of course the max that they would allow ($100,000) for the Tom Cat.

For the Bahamas it would cost about $125 for all of the Bahamas, additional for 3 months (out of hurricane season). A similar charge was available for Mexico. The Canada and Alaska was covered--as long as within 75 miles of the coast.

Bob Austin
 
Progressive, No doubt about it. On the 45 ft. Chris Craft for about ten years it was over a $1000 a year, and that was good buy.( $100,000 )policy. And they paid out $38,000 for hurricane damage. Even sent an agent to the Bahamas to estimate the damage. Was a good company. Some of my boater friends were paying twice that for same coverage.. Boaters US was quite a bit higher. For the Ranger, Progressive came in at $500 something a year. ( $138,000)
The Abacos or Bimini is only about 60 miles off shore, we were assuming it would cover the Bahama banks. Maybe I better check just to make sure.
The N.R.A. offers Medical air lift and includes getting camper and boat home for about $79.00 a year. To include wife came up to $99.00 a year. Mis Dee always worried about what to do if......................( I can't say it.) A whole list of bennnies come with the deal. I have a friend in Florida that sells something quite similar and it cost several hundred a year. Course he makes a BIG commission. Or thousands for 5 yrs or life.

So between all that and signing up for Sea Tow, we are ready to hit the hard dry and wet trail.
Captd

PS. You might have to join the NRA to get that above mention deal. You should anyway.
 
I've had USAA ins for over 30 years also, but they seem to have always farmed out the boat insurance and now RV insurance. The way insurance is orgainzed, all companies sell the risk to a few true "insurers". I got Progressive on my TomCat, but boy is it expensive! They have all kinds of reasons why everything I do makes the policy go up, even tho' I haven't had a wreck or traffic ticket in over 25 years. I moved the boat from a marina with no security at all to a marina with a dozen ppl living there all year around, guard dogs, the works and they raised the insurance!

Just life, I guess...

John
 
Hey Bill! Yep, like others here...USAA/Progressive/Drive Insureance for all my boats and cars. Always nice, and came thru just as promised a few years back when I was attempting to shine the rocks in Lake Martin with a lower unit. It is amazing the noise you get when the route is moved to one side only about 1 foot from several other trips into my little private oasis cove for overnights.... I hate that noise.

When is your tug going to be ready/picked up and who are you getting it from? Tell Jeff Messmer I said Hey...and we for sure are going to have to travel the TN river together. Was thinking of a late spring "loop" from the eastern arms of the TN, heading west, north, east up and over to the Cumberland and back home.

Glad to have you in the C-Brats and hope to boat with you some day.

Byrdman
 
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