Capt's Training Requested by Insurance

I think it varies. I moved from 37' to 55', and was not interested in any sort of mentor/training. I cited lifelong boating experience, a pilots license, a violation free drivers license, and never having filed a motor vehicle insurance claim. I know the broker presented me with two viable insurance options, and I believe he had at least one more that he didn't think I should consider. There were no policy contingencies (other than a hurricane plan) and there was no undue financial premium.

Underwriters are happy to write policies were they believe the insured can properly manage the associated risks.

Absolutely, it's become policy for most, but but not a rule. They're sure to make exceptions if they think someone doesn't need it or if there's sufficient money involved, and wasn't required. I knew a guy who got a 60 Sunseeker as a first boat, and wasn't required. Thankfully he ended up calling me on his own once he realized what he stepped into, and I worked with him for about a year and a half..

I think a lot of it has to do with past ownership and your relationship with the broker. I have a dock neighbor who has in the past decade gone from a 42 to a 53, to a 56, to a 64. He has had the same broker and covered thousands of miles. When he was looking for his current boat he actually inquired what they would insure him up to and they told him up to 80. He ended up with the 64, but that was mostly because it is just him and his wife, and 80 is large to handle with two.

If you have a good broker, and long history with them with no claims, they will let you step up pretty large within reason.

Using the radar is no guarantee of a safe passage as is shown here: https://www.google.com/search?q=rad...oe=utf-8&channel=fs&trackid=sp-006&gws_rd=ssl

Look at the first result.

X2

I was only able to pull up the first page, but I think I know where it's going. Nope, nothing guarantees safe passage. Also having equipment is a waste if you don't use it or don't know how to use it.

Besides the legal requirement to use all navigation aids available to you, and liability should anything happen, another reason for using radar on those bright sunny days is for practice. The first time you use radar you don't want it to be at night or in the fog. Using it on clear days lets you look at the target on your screen and then relate it to what you see outside. Especially handy in recognizing tugs with tow which can look like a false echo or a second boat on the screen, the difference between a boat and a buoy, or for coming through an inlet zooming in as you approach.

Any new input on this subject? It would seem the insurance companies have had a year to fine tune the program, since it was relatively new when the original post was made. Do they provide a course guideline of any kind? Is there a universal check-off form in the industry? Just wondering...

It wasn't really a new program and nothing really has changed. Insurers evaluate the training and experience of the operator of the boat. Then some of them, some of the time, require a sign off by a Captain regarding the operator. That takes different forms with different insurers and one just has to find out exactly what they want. Think of it a bit like driver's training all those years ago. The teacher was just saying you'd done certain work, not guaranteeing you'd never wreck. There is nothing universal in the industry. It is insurer specific.

In my end of the market the Insurance company wants to know how much experience the Captain has in command and the details of any claims the Captain has made in their career.

I keep seeing more and more of it on the yachts under 100'. Up until 5 years ago or so, none of the insurance companies cared if there was a Captains license attached to it. Now more and more are asking for a copy of license, resume, AND hurricane plan. A lot of these are asking on 55'-75' yachts.

As for the radar comment. The USCG says that you should use all navigational aids available to you to navigate.