Boat Insurance (Progressive)
 

The boat insurance down in Florida is becoming a PITA, I had American Family for thirty years when we lived in the Midwest and before we moved down here and "NEVER" had a problem, the first year we were here we had Progressive, fine, no problem, we haven't had any claims "EVER", but just got the new premium for this upcoming year and it's about 10% higher, WTF.

What scares me more is everyone I talk to keeps telling me to use anyone but Progressive (always deny claims for any reason), are they that bad and if so who should I check out.

Thanks, Jim (aka joey)

Call Stacy @ Wakezone, Progressive sucks. I know from experience. Randy

Progressive screwed me bad on a claim when my boat was rear ended in traffic and the driver ticketed. Long horror story. I will never use Progressive again no matter how cheap they are.

Yup what Randy said! Progressive sucks balls!

Yes......Contact Stacey!

Stacy and sy Goldberg are very helpful. Although the majority of experience has been progressive sucks, a few people in nh have made out well.

I talked to Sy already and he didn't really scare me away from Progressive, but everyone else sure is.

Has anyone had a good experience with them.

In our area there only a few experienced marine adjusters and a lot of the insurance companies use the same guys. It is very important to get all the info to the adjuster first time and make it easy for them. The harder they have to work the more likely you are going to get screwed.

I think it is important to find a marine shop that has a good working relationship with the adjuster in order to get a good result.

I have been with progressive since 2001, one 28 boat, 2 skis. 2 fairly small claims, no complaints.

geico quote was 400.00 cheaper than progressive for my boat ( not the skater) my Searay

I just dropped Progressive last month they were charging me 1500.00yr. I shopped around and now have Boat U.S. 500.00 yr. Neighbor filed 3 claims with Boat US and never an issue.

I had a sinking in Hurricane last year. Progressive was easy to deal with. treated me fairly. They no longer write policies for boats over 30 feet (or was it 25 feet?) in south Louisiana.

15 minutes will save you 15%!!

"I think it is important to find a marine shop that has a good working relationship with the adjuster in order to get a good result."

That was one of my mistakes. My adjuster convinced me to take my boat to a different shop, which had a good reputation, K&M Marine in Redford Twp, Michigan; Never use them! They conspired with my adjuster to not replace parts which were billed out, not replace parts that were damaged but they said were fine. Wanted to fix my brand new prop instead of replace it. They stole my hatch rams and put in shorter ones. When I got the boat home and fired it up on the hose the prop was wobbling. They didn't replace the prop shaft but that work was on the invoice. They didn't think I would notice. I took the boat right back and asked to see my old parts. They showed me a prop shaft amongst them. The serial number was different. I pulled out a picture of my old shaft to prove it. My adjuster was defending the shop and I said "aren't you supposed to be on my side?" He said I was real close to being on my own and I said I was real close to calling my lawyer and the police. They said they would replace the prop shaft "again". They also agreed to replace the bent trailer brake actuator which was also on the invoice but the work never done. I did finally get a brand new prop. I should have taken "my" old parts and the boat and sued their ases but I wanted to go boating. The boat was one year old. There is more. That is a long story short!

Great info guys and thanks........................I have Towboat for towing.......................anyone else have Towboat US for insurance.

Ive got Progressive, but never had a claim - So its been a one way relationship, I pay them.

Im not sure they would write a policy for a boat as big as yours.

They have already, two years in a row,............................. I just keep hearing things about them not paying claims and that scares the crap out of me.

A 10% renewal increase isn't that far out of line for personal insurance in Florida right now.

Not for nothing, but are you sure you really have insurance? Progressive has some serious limitations for boats, so does Geico and any other "brand name" insurance. Size, top speed, and TOTAL hp come into play. I would check your policy carefully. At the very least make a call to Stacey or Sy, they are both experts with boat insurance and neither are "pushy" salespeople.

That's what I was told, it's not about the cost, but what's more concerning me is if Progressive is going to try and screw me if I have a claim.

Spoke with Sy already.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I have had Progressive for about 3 yrs with no claims. Every year, they have gone up about 8-10%. I did have USAA with my old 22 ft Crownline, but was told when I got the new boat they no longer write policies on boats under 50ft! (WTF?) I called Stacy too, but was told my boat was too fast, I laughed on that one! Anyway, I too hope that if I ever need to make a claim, that Progressive doesn't screw me. BTW, it's a 32 Advantage w/twin 496 HOs. NOT a fast boat......

Hmm, I have Progressive and I had a claim last year to repair a massive gouge in the gelcoat courtesy of a screw sticking out of a gas dock. They were great and worked with the repair shop to agree on a cost. I was happy.

Have used Progressive through total dolllar since 2003, In 2006 had loss of brand new aluminum trailer stolen from so called secured storage lot. Lot owners said tough luck, Progressive Paid inside a week. Yes, rates increase year by year so it is expected. Go ahead and shop around, see if you can find better.

We also have part ownership of used car finance company, (mostly older cars) and have excellent communications and working relationship with Progressive through that business, (when those car buyers use them), so we see more claims rolling through, and hands down, the wife (who runs the ops for that co) says of all the insurance companies these people have, progressive is the easiest to work with.

I just signed up with Sy from total dollar on Wednesday.

He was littlerly more than half off what progressive quoted me and I am a progressive auto policey holder too.

10% = longer boating season

So.......10-20% of people who have had claims with Progressive felt they were treated properly.......are you willing to gamble your part of the 10-20% for the few hundred dollars a year you'd save???

I'm not looking to save a buck and I've owned six boats over thitry years and have never had a claim, never........................... I'm more concerned about having insurance from a company that is going to take care of me if I ever need them, hopefully I don't.

There doesn't seem to be many choices for boat insurance down here in Florida.

better call Sy

Jiim,
That's the problem in FL. only a few will cover us down here and it's BIG $$. I had theft claim with Progressive last year, and they paid no problem. That was on the Nordic, they won't cover our Hustler in FL..... Too big and too fast..... I think it has alot to do with your agent....

When I first brought the boat down here last October they sent a appraiser over to inspect the boat and he took tons of pics, which didn't bother me because my boat is flawless and that's why I want to make sure that after paying them $1,400 bucks a year that they won't jack me around.

Last years premium was $1,200 and it went up to $1,400 for this year, Sy told me because of Hurricane Sandy, I said WTF did that have to do with me, he said it does.

My 353 only has 502s in and on it's best day goes 70mph, so it's not like I'm a twenty year old kid out running all over the place.

I talked to Sy already !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not intending to hijack the thread but I had a related question.

Does anyone have any claim experience with Markel? I’ve got an older twin (502s) cat and I thought the price was reasonable. No layup, stipulated value, stipulated HP and speed (89 mph) with use in western state water ways and up to 25 miles offshore in the Pacific. $1530/year.

I didn’t give much thought to a claim as I needed coverage right away (I bought the boat quickly) and all of the major companies turned me down because it was a cat and/or had too much HP.

I had no trouble with progressive Jim. They paid in full no questions asked on a big/expensive claim that I was scared was gonna be trouble for me. I have my insurance with Stacey now. She did get me literally twice the policy (agreed value, no layup) and my premium went up $13 a year.

+1, but my premium went down $400,( former Progressive carrier), with my 20 year old son on the policy. Went up maybe $40 the first year, and stayed the same two years in a row so far,. No experience with claims with either company.

Granted I am a first time powerboat owner but I wished my annual rate was $1400 lol. Mines not that far off though.

For an idea for the same policy progessive wanted $4100 a year.

About four years ago I had a claim and Progressive treated me very well. It was about a $22k claim on a boat worth maybe $45k.

I appreciate the responses, it helps to see what kind of experiences other have had with them and other companies.......thanks guys.

Good Luck, in Europe we have extensive qualifications for boating experience to achieve reasonable rates

I deal with insurance companies daily but on cars. Progressive and Gieco are the worst to deal with. AAA USAA and State Farm are great. I did have 2 friends at LOTO run there boats a ground one summer (i know how to you do that at LOTO ,its another story lol) any way both went to the same marina and had similar damage. One had State Farm and the other had Progressive. The boat with State Farm had everything fixed all new parts and no questions asked,the Progressive claim was half fixed aftermarket drive and had to pay betterment. It was consistent with what I see on the car end of claims. Good Luck.

Jim, have you read this thread:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/i...-coverage.html

How much more percentage wise is Florida insurance as compared to LOTO? When you bring your boat back up here for 4 months will they reduce the rates for those months, or will you have to pay the higher rate all year?

No, but I'm going to go through the whole thread, thanks.

Here's the deal with bringing a boat back and forth from Missouri and Florida...............Florida doesn't have any PP tax and if I keep it registered in Missouri, they're going to jab me for the PP tax which is about $800 bucks a years and the different in insurance is Florida is about $600 bucks higher each year, so it's almost a wash.

Even though I'd like to save a buck, what I'm most worried about is thinking I have good insurance and it cost me $1,400 a year and then if I have a problem they try and screw me, I don't need that chit.

I think I'm going to call and talk to Stacey, thanks guys.