ARE YOU INSURED WHEN TOWING?

[jenevers]

Check your insurance policy.

One policy I had said I would not be covered if an accident occurred if I was towing another boat.

Hmm...... Motor and Butty?

[john6767]

Not sure what your point is, when I was picking an insurance company I asked 2 questions; 1. is towing and being towed covered and 2. is travelling in the dark covered. For the first one, some just said yes it is covered, and other that is is not covered unless you or the other boat are in immediate danger. So if you want to tow or be towed pick an appropriate insurance company.

[jenevers]

Not sure what your point is, when I was picking an insurance company I asked 2 questions; 1. is towing and being towed covered and 2. is travelling in the dark covered. For the first one, some just said yes it is covered, and other that is is not covered unless you or the other boat are in immediate danger. So if you want to tow or be towed pick an appropriate insurance company.

My point is some (many?) people will not be covered and won't realise it till they have an accident and then find out when it's too late.

 

I'm sure lots of people wouldn't think to ask the question.

Edited May 31, 2013 by jenevers

[alan_fincher]

I would suggest most people in a genuine "motor and butty" situation, (or indeed those with a genuine need to tow boats for other reasons), will probably have made sure they are covered. Possibly those who just breast two boats together, using only one engine to get them up a flight may not have done though, so it is a valid question.

 

There are plenty of things to watch out for, as well as towing, and after dark use. Some policies may at the very least require you to tell the insurer each time you are using a tidal waterway to link between other non-tidal ones - others do no not, for example.

 

Both my policies specifically exclude towing water skiers, but I can live with that.

It is also possible, I guess that you may be insured if towing, but not if being towed ?

[OldGoat]

My point is some (many?) people will not be covered and won't realise it till they have an accident and then find out when it's too late.

 

I'm sure lots of people wouldn't think to ask the question.

There was a thread recently over on the YBW Thames forum. The consensus was (after folks had looked at their policies and others did some research), that if you are rescuing a boat and towing it to "a place of safety" - then a good policy will cover it. That's because it's a general clause required by Lloyds (of London) to cover rescue at sea.

 

If you're towing in general then no - unless of course you inform your insurance company in advance.

[john6767]

My point is some (many?) people will not be covered and won't realise it till they have an accident and then find out when it's too late.

 

I'm sure lots of people wouldn't think to ask the question.

In the case of casual towing, I agree with you the some will not ever have thought about if they are insured or not, but if you have a motor and butty then I don't think that is going to be the case.

[jenevers]

 

 

 

It is also possible, I guess that you may be insured if towing, but not if being towed ?

No room for guesswork in the world of insurance!

[jonathanA]

Check your insurance policy.

One policy I had said I would not be covered if an accident occurred if I was towing another boat.

Hmm...... Motor and Butty?

 

do you have a motor and butty ?

 

 

 

thought not.... :-)

[Chris Pink]

Check your insurance policy.

One policy I had said I would not be covered if an accident occurred if I was towing another boat.

Hmm...... Motor and Butty?

 

Why are you shouting at me? Have i offended you in some way?

 

Yes, I am insured to tow.

 

Did you want to make a claim?

[jenevers]

I thought I'd just bring this to the attention of others.

 

I'm sure lots of people have never given it a thought.

 

Are you insured to navigate single handed for example??

 

My old policy didn't cover me for that, when I read the small print!!

 

No I don't have a motor and butty.

No I don't want to make a claim

[Machpoint005]

No room for guesswork in the world of insurance!

 

That's what small print is for.

[Lockie Junior]

Both my policies specifically exclude towing water skiers, but I can live with that.

 

That made me chuckle.

 

It also reminded me of an old picture I've got of a man water skiing behind a barge (would post, but don't have scanner).

[jenevers]

That's what small print is for.

Yeah and everybody reads the small print, don't they?

[Doug Scullery]

My old insurer (Towergate Mardon) said only if the boat being towed is in danger, my current insurer (Westfield) says no problem at all.

[bargemast]

That made me chuckle.

 

It also reminded me of an old picture I've got of a man water skiing behind a barge (would post, but don't have scanner).

 

Before the days that the Water-Police became very serious in Holland, we sometimes waterskied behind empty barges, but instead of waterskies, we used one of the big wooden hatch-covers, because of the much bigger surface of one of these, there was no need to go very fast to be pulled out of the water, and it was a lot of fun.

 

Peter.

[jenevers]

My old insurer (Towergate Mardon) said only if the boat being towed is in danger, my current insurer (Westfield) says no problem at all.

There you go. So a canal boat that's broken down isn't in danger. You offer to tow it to a convenient place, have an accident and you ain't covered.

[DaveC]

There is only one way to find out and that is to ask your insurers! Last year I was stuck at Thrupp when the Thames was on red boards and with all sorts of rumours flying around as to if one is insured on red / yellow boards I telephoned my insurance people who took the trouble to phone their underwriters and then phoned me back with the correct answer. I am insured on yellow (stream decreasing) boards - contrary to what a lot of people said at the time.

 

 

Dave

[Mike Todd]

The key is whether or not qualified advice has been given regarding safety to travel - usually on the side of **not** traveling. If you are warned that it is not safe (red or yellow/stream increasing) then insurance will generally be invalid. On the othjer hand, no-one giving advice (it's OK to go) can take away the responsibility of the skipper to take his/her own decisions and be responsible. Even if the local lock keeper says go and there are obvious indications that it is unsafe, you are still likely to be uninsured.

 

(As I understand it!)

 

A Yellow board/stream decreasing indicates "We advise users of all unpowered boats not to navigate and users of powered boats to navigate with caution."

There is only one way to find out and that is to ask your insurers! Last year I was stuck at Thrupp when the Thames was on red boards and with all sorts of rumours flying around as to if one is insured on red / yellow boards I telephoned my insurance people who took the trouble to phone their underwriters and then phoned me back with the correct answer. I am insured on yellow (stream decreasing) boards - contrary to what a lot of people said at the time.

 

 

Dave

[Speedwheel]

Yeah and everybody reads the small print, don't they?

 

Ummm, yes. You are entering into a legal contract. If you don't and something goes wrong, then you only have yourself to blame.

[jenevers]

Ummm, yes. You are entering into a legal contract. If you don't and something goes wrong, then you only have yourself to blame.

So..... hands up all those who read the small print, terms and conditions etc etc

[Lockie Junior]

Before the days that the Water-Police became very serious in Holland, we sometimes waterskied behind empty barges, but instead of waterskies, we used one of the big wooden hatch-covers, because of the much bigger surface of one of these, there was no need to go very fast to be pulled out of the water, and it was a lot of fun.

 

Peter.

 

That does sound like great fun bargemast.

 

My old picture shows a crewman water skiing behind a Trent barge somewhere up-gates of Newark. I often think I was born 50yrs too late .

[Paul C]

So..... hands up all those who read the small print, terms and conditions etc etc

 

I don't worry too much about the details when I'm buying a Mars bar at the local corner shop, but when its something expensive like insurance, then yes I'll take a quick look at the T&Cs. There's been a drive to make them simpler to comprehend these days, and even if not completely taken in every word, yes I'll look through the exclusions.

[Guest]

So..... hands up all those who read the small print, terms and conditions etc etc:detective:

So your general point is to check the T&C,s of your policy.

 

Good advice, but I'm not sure why you just mention towing.

 

It,s just advice to check them anyway isn't it???