I recently changed my boat insurance to Progressive and in reading the policy I noticed that coverage was included in Mexico; on the water and while
being towed (excepting liablility). I confirmed this with Progressive's customer service.
In talking with Lewis and Lewis they said to change the value of the boat/motor/trailer to $0 and then I would would be covered for liablility while
towed. Of course, I have no liablity while on the water in Mexico, but I never did anyway and I'm not worried about that risk. Lewis & Lewis has
confirmed that the boat/trailer is covered for any damage it causes while being towed such as falling off the trailer or the trailer becomes
disconected form the tow vehicle. The upshot of all this is that I saved $144 and wonder if anyone else has done this. Can anyone think of a reason
not to do this?
ThanksHook - 5-11-2007 at 03:19 PM
So, you are assessing the value of your boat and trailer as 0.00 to satisfy Lewis and Lewis for land liability, correct? Are they saying that with
that valuation, they are treating the B/M/T as a non-existent item and your vehicle liability takes over for damage the B/M/T causes?
The 144.00 savings was compared to former policies you had that covered comprehensive damage to your boat plus your former liability policy on land in
Mexico?
Need more details.
One thing about on the water liability in Mexico; if you ever have occasion to rent a slip or even use a marina launch ramp, it is sometimes
mandatory.aquaholic - 5-11-2007 at 03:26 PM
...I'm not able to figure out what part of the insurance you're saving. I just paid my Progressive boat policy for the year, and for an agreed value
of $50,000 and all the extras, my premium was $315...there's not any of the coverage that I want to do without...Santiago - 5-11-2007 at 03:57 PM
Hook: As I understand the Lewis policy, they B/M/T is only covered for comp/collision while it is being towed, not on the water (they were pretty
clear on this). Liability for the B/M/T comes from the liablity that is already paid for on the tow vehicle (truck). The $144 savings comes from the
drop in premium by reducing the value of coverage from $57,000 (truck + B/M/T) to $30,000 (truck only).
To further complicate things, when I had the B/M/T covered with Lewis, they could not guarantee that full coverage on the B/M/T was in place while I
was in a parking lot. Verbage was always "while being towed" and when I asked if I suffared a loss while getting some fish tacos they got real quiet.
Never got a straight answer on that. Now with Progressive, I'm covered no mater what/where/when as far as damage to the boat.
Aquaholic: I was double covered to damage to my B/M/T while being towed. Your Progressive policy is in force in Mexico except the for liablilty
portion as they are not a Mexican insurance company.Hook - 5-11-2007 at 04:40 PM
Gotta run. Maybe chime in more this weekend.BajaGeoff - 5-11-2007 at 04:54 PM
Santiago,
It sounds like you just removed the watercraft liability altogether.
Watercraft liability functions much like liability for autos in Mexico. It has to be written by a Mexican underwriter and provides the necessary
"proof of financial responsibility" for damages to third parties if you are at fault in an accident...whether it is on land or water.
We have been told that watercraft liability is also being made mandatory in order to enter Mexican ports. Whether or not it is being enforced remains
to be seen. However, $144 per year seems like a pretty small price to pay for everything to be in order according to Mexican law.Hook - 5-14-2007 at 03:47 PM
Ok, I think I get it. You have full coverage on the BMT in Mexico and presumably in the US thru Progressive whether towing or on the water. So, you've
dropped the coverage on the boat thru L & L that only covered you while towing. So, in essence, you dropped a portion of the BMT coverage that you
would have been double-paying to both Prog and LL. Makes sense to me. Just get the liability through LL or whomever.
I'd go that route too if my boat was newer. But Progressive indicates that it wont insure boats older than 20 years and mine is. So, I guess I will
continue to do a combo of Boat US up here and Vagabundos in Mexico. No comprehensive coverage on the water, just liability down there, but I'm OK with
that.JZ - 5-14-2007 at 05:01 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Santiago
Your Progressive policy is in force in Mexico except the for liablilty portion as they are not a Mexican insurance company.
Why would Progressive not provide liability insurance for boats in MX if they cover other aspects. I realize you have to have liability insurance
from a Mexican carrier. But what prevents you from having increased liability protection from your US based carrier. Some MX carriers provide
relatively low liability coverage, so the supplement from the US policy is extra protection.Hook - 5-14-2007 at 05:39 PM
I think what the deal is is that Progressive will cover your repairs or losses in Mexico AFTER you return. I think it may be a reimbursement
situation. Maybe others can verify.
They cant cover liability because they dont have contracted agents in Mexico.4baja - 5-14-2007 at 06:24 PM
jim, will you send me your complete coverage on u2u. i understand that my lewis and lewis covers my boat as long as it is attached to my
truck/trailer. no coverage on the water. thanksSantiago - 5-14-2007 at 07:49 PM
Hook: right on all counts.
Steve: check you're U2U.Pescador - 5-14-2007 at 08:10 PM
After having gone through this I am up to speed on the Lewis and Lewis policy as well as the Progressive policy, both of which I have. The Policy ith
Lewis and Lewis only covers you for liability and or collision while towing. When I had a boat stolen, it did not matter whether it was hooked to the
truck or not, it was not covered, but if I ran over someone with the boat, and missed them with the truck it was covered and the same with damage
while towing to both truck and boat. The Progressive policy will cover your boat in Mexico but since it is a foreign policy they do not provide
liability while towing and so they require you to have a liability policy in order to cover you. So if you wreck your boat while towing, the damage
would be covered by Progressive, but the liability (meaning damage to property and people) would be covered by the mexican company that Lewis and
Lewis are the brokers for. So what Santiago found out was that he was double paying for one coverage and wisely moved the replacement value for
collision to $0, but the liability coverages are the same for the aggregate or total.Santiago - 5-14-2007 at 08:24 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
So what Santiago found out was that he was double paying for one coverage and wisely moved the replacement value for collision to $0, but the
liability coverages are the same for the aggregate or total.
ahem, thank you, thank you.
Your check's in the mail.
One thing dawned on me regarding why Progressive (and others, possibly) cover damage to the B/M/T while out of the country - most/some of us who
happen to hit a rock chugging Pacifico #12 and ruin the lower-end would just tow it back to otra lado and claim we hit it hugging the shore at
Cornelian Bay trolling for browns. How would they know?
Boy, I hope Lewis doesn't know who 'Santiago' is, heh, heh....Hook - 5-14-2007 at 08:40 PM
Sorry, Santiago. DHS is monitoring this site and you will not be allowed back into the US for even CONSIDERING such an idea. 4baja - 5-15-2007 at 06:38 AM
