How long do you have to own the boat before insurance companies consider you beyond the "First Time Cat Owner" stage, or even the "First Time Boat Owner" stage? When do the training wheels come off so to speak, one year, two years, fives years?

Michael

When you buy your second boat?...

Just kidding.

I have no idea, but I'd love to know this answer. They always ask how many years experience you have, but when exactly is enough experience considered enough? Is there ever a point when you get a break on rates, or is it simply another metric with which they can "opt out" of paying a claim if it's determined that you've perhaps fibbed slightly?

After one year of verifiable ownership, insured loss free.

Years of experience doesn't really go into rating and therefore wouldn't be something they could deny a claim based on... but they also do ask years of ownership which is obviously different than years of experience. Your years of ownership is actually a rating factor/credit factor so you need to be as accurate as possible.

Ah-ha! Gotcha. Thanks for clearing that up. But I'd have thought that experience would weigh just as heavily, or at minimum be factored in somehow; I mean a guy could have hundreds of hours experience having never owned his own boat. I'm a perfect example, by time I was ready to buy my own boat I already had years and years of seat time taking out dad's boat.

I mean let's face it, would you want a pilot with the most hours experience flying you around or the guy who's owned the plane the longest?

CIG - I was the same example. When I bought my Cafe I had never "Owned" a boat, but had been driving boats owned by my family since before I could see over the steering wheel, as I am sure many on this site have!

I paid out of the nose the first year but then switched to Stacey who got me a great rate.

If I would have known all that 10 years ago I would have just had my father put our family boat in MY name so that I could show "ownership".

Lesson learned, and I'll be sure to put a boat in my son's name in 20 years so that he doesn't have the same situation. (Assuming he is responsible)

how do you verify experience?

The pointy end is the front & the taller handle is the throttle, Sorry just being a goof. Seriously soldier that is a good question, cause its not like you have drivers ed & then a license.

Thats what I mean. There really is no better way for insurance to say you have expereience. and if I were them I would do the same way, I am not going to take somebodys word.

And to be honest people that have had toys like this for a while can be just as dangerous or more dangerous than newbies

It would be interesting to see what kind of test the ins companies could come up with, When I bought my Harley I had years of exp on dirt bikes & a few street bikes but their all different. I could just see a guy buying a 300K cig or whatever & taking a certification test in an outboard duck boat. My point being some dot stations will let you take a driving test on a 125 enduro when you have a full dress road king in your driveway. I have read many times on here about Tres Martins course & would definately take the course if or when I switch to a cat All replies I have read say it is money well spent. Plus it helps on insurance too. From what I understand about that course is that you learn to drive your boat not just the one in a slip that runs.