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Author Topic:   Sea Tow vs. Boat Insurance

Waccamaw Whaler posted 04-29-2009 07:04 PM ET (US)
What is the advantage of having a Sea Tow membership over boat insurance that includes $500 for towing?
OldSchool posted 04-29-2009 07:27 PM ET (US)
Sea Tow is unlimited service. If you have to use them 10 times in a year, you pay the same rate next year that all members do. If you have a tow plan on your boat insurance, and use it just once you run the risk of a policy increase or getting dropped. The latter would be extreme, but try using it more than once and see what happens. I know a few. Sea Tow all the way for me!!
20dauntless posted 04-29-2009 07:41 PM ET (US)
$500 does not really cover that much towing. Remember, most tow boat operators bill per hour for both ways. Boat US charges $200 an hour during the day, and $225 an hour at night. If you are 20 miles from their home port, you'll use at least an hour for them to get to you, and if they have to tow you 20 miles you'll use another 2.5-3 hours. This adds up to more than $500. You can look at lots of situations like this. Overall, I think dedicated towing insurance makes more sense.
Brian7son posted 04-30-2009 08:17 AM ET (US)
IMO, the biggest advantage is that with Sea Tow, when you have an [breakdown] and call for a tow, you give them your member number and it's handled. No out of pocket expenses at the scene. With your boat insurance, you cannot be certain that the tow boat responding to your breakdown will bill them directly. Therefore, you would have to either put the $500 on your credit card on the spot or come up with the cash. Then you would have to wait to get reimbursed by your insurance.
fishinchips posted 04-30-2009 05:44 PM ET (US)
Going with a tow service is fine, however you got the time waiting for them ?
How many tow boats in your area ?
Reason why I ask is because if you have one tow boat and its busy towing someone else, you are going to wait.
Maybe a kicker motor would help ?
Ken (170 montauk / 22 hydrasports wa)
David Pendleton posted 04-30-2009 08:01 PM ET (US)
My Boat U.S. towing insurance covers any tow.
highanddry posted 04-30-2009 09:47 PM ET (US)
Areas we have boated as of late have excellent Sea Tow franchises. I am sure in other areas there may be better coverage with other similar businesses. We have Sea Tow.
Waccamaw Whaler posted 04-30-2009 11:38 PM ET (US)
The response make a lot of sense. My situation so far has, for the most part, been boating on the river and bay where there is enough boat traffic to get a tow if necessary. Should I begin to venture offshore I can see the advantage of Sea Tow.
jimh posted 05-01-2009 01:23 AM ET (US)
[Moved to THE GAM.]
chopbuster posted 05-01-2009 07:37 PM ET (US)
The correct response.
rborroto posted 05-03-2009 09:17 AM ET (US)
I use Boat U.S. towing insurance here in the South Florida coastal and intracoastal areas. They're everywhere here.
René Borroto
Hallandale Beach, Florida
Hoosier posted 05-03-2009 10:50 AM ET (US)
I got this in an email from Sea Tow:
If you are in need of marine assistance on the Great Lakes, you can always contact our 24-Hour Sea Tow Customer Service Center (800-473-2869). Our representatives will inquire as to your location and then connect you with the local Captain or, if there is no Sea Tow currently operating in the area, the representative will assist you in finding another provider.
In areas where Sea Tow is not yet operating, Sea Tow will assist our members in arranging and will reimburse for assistance towing up to $150 per hour or $5000 per incident to the dock or facility that will best facilitate the boat's repair or transportation, with no annual aggregate limit. You must use a USCG licensed professional tower, pay the bill and submit a copy of the invoice to Sea Tow International for reimbursement. If there is a Sea Tow that operates in the area, you must take the tow from Sea Tow.
At the present time, there are no Sea Tow boats operating on the Great Lakes.
Waccamaw Whaler posted 05-03-2009 12:31 PM ET (US)
I see BoatU.S. has a program similiar to Sea Tow. Has anyone done a comparison to see which company offers the better program?
Are there other companies offering 'towing' programs for boaters?
I guess the bottom line question is which compamy offers the best program for the cost and why?
20dauntless posted 05-03-2009 12:46 PM ET (US)
It depends on the area where you are. See who offers better coverage for that area and go with them. For me in the PNW, Boat US is the only option.
towboater posted 05-04-2009 04:40 PM ET (US)
Wac Whaler should not have to ask this question.
Pleasure Boaters, USCG, Local Sheriffs and Private Responders would ALL be better served if ALL boat Insurance Policies included (required by law) TOWING...very similar to DOT towing setups. I think it is reasonable to assume bulk towing on a National level would cost each individual quite a bit less than SeaTow or BoatUS Policies.
I would also suggest, GOOD SAMARITANS should be eligible for compensation IF it is documented a Certified Responder was called first for a non life threatening situation and was unable to respond within a reasonable time frame.
win win
mk

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Author	Topic: Sea Tow vs. Boat Insurance
Waccamaw Whaler	posted 04-29-2009 07:04 PM ET (US) What is the advantage of having a Sea Tow membership over boat insurance that includes $500 for towing?
OldSchool	posted 04-29-2009 07:27 PM ET (US) Sea Tow is unlimited service. If you have to use them 10 times in a year, you pay the same rate next year that all members do. If you have a tow plan on your boat insurance, and use it just once you run the risk of a policy increase or getting dropped. The latter would be extreme, but try using it more than once and see what happens. I know a few. Sea Tow all the way for me!!
20dauntless	posted 04-29-2009 07:41 PM ET (US) $500 does not really cover that much towing. Remember, most tow boat operators bill per hour for both ways. Boat US charges $200 an hour during the day, and $225 an hour at night. If you are 20 miles from their home port, you'll use at least an hour for them to get to you, and if they have to tow you 20 miles you'll use another 2.5-3 hours. This adds up to more than $500. You can look at lots of situations like this. Overall, I think dedicated towing insurance makes more sense.
Brian7son	posted 04-30-2009 08:17 AM ET (US) IMO, the biggest advantage is that with Sea Tow, when you have an [breakdown] and call for a tow, you give them your member number and it's handled. No out of pocket expenses at the scene. With your boat insurance, you cannot be certain that the tow boat responding to your breakdown will bill them directly. Therefore, you would have to either put the $500 on your credit card on the spot or come up with the cash. Then you would have to wait to get reimbursed by your insurance.
fishinchips	posted 04-30-2009 05:44 PM ET (US) Going with a tow service is fine, however you got the time waiting for them ? How many tow boats in your area ? Reason why I ask is because if you have one tow boat and its busy towing someone else, you are going to wait. Maybe a kicker motor would help ? Ken (170 montauk / 22 hydrasports wa)
David Pendleton	posted 04-30-2009 08:01 PM ET (US) My Boat U.S. towing insurance covers any tow.
highanddry	posted 04-30-2009 09:47 PM ET (US) Areas we have boated as of late have excellent Sea Tow franchises. I am sure in other areas there may be better coverage with other similar businesses. We have Sea Tow.
Waccamaw Whaler	posted 04-30-2009 11:38 PM ET (US) The response make a lot of sense. My situation so far has, for the most part, been boating on the river and bay where there is enough boat traffic to get a tow if necessary. Should I begin to venture offshore I can see the advantage of Sea Tow.
jimh	posted 05-01-2009 01:23 AM ET (US) [Moved to THE GAM.]
chopbuster	posted 05-01-2009 07:37 PM ET (US) The correct response.
rborroto	posted 05-03-2009 09:17 AM ET (US) I use Boat U.S. towing insurance here in the South Florida coastal and intracoastal areas. They're everywhere here. René Borroto Hallandale Beach, Florida
Hoosier	posted 05-03-2009 10:50 AM ET (US) I got this in an email from Sea Tow: If you are in need of marine assistance on the Great Lakes, you can always contact our 24-Hour Sea Tow Customer Service Center (800-473-2869). Our representatives will inquire as to your location and then connect you with the local Captain or, if there is no Sea Tow currently operating in the area, the representative will assist you in finding another provider. In areas where Sea Tow is not yet operating, Sea Tow will assist our members in arranging and will reimburse for assistance towing up to $150 per hour or $5000 per incident to the dock or facility that will best facilitate the boat's repair or transportation, with no annual aggregate limit. You must use a USCG licensed professional tower, pay the bill and submit a copy of the invoice to Sea Tow International for reimbursement. If there is a Sea Tow that operates in the area, you must take the tow from Sea Tow. At the present time, there are no Sea Tow boats operating on the Great Lakes.
Waccamaw Whaler	posted 05-03-2009 12:31 PM ET (US) I see BoatU.S. has a program similiar to Sea Tow. Has anyone done a comparison to see which company offers the better program? Are there other companies offering 'towing' programs for boaters? I guess the bottom line question is which compamy offers the best program for the cost and why?
20dauntless	posted 05-03-2009 12:46 PM ET (US) It depends on the area where you are. See who offers better coverage for that area and go with them. For me in the PNW, Boat US is the only option.
towboater	posted 05-04-2009 04:40 PM ET (US) Wac Whaler should not have to ask this question. Pleasure Boaters, USCG, Local Sheriffs and Private Responders would ALL be better served if ALL boat Insurance Policies included (required by law) TOWING...very similar to DOT towing setups. I think it is reasonable to assume bulk towing on a National level would cost each individual quite a bit less than SeaTow or BoatUS Policies. I would also suggest, GOOD SAMARITANS should be eligible for compensation IF it is documented a Certified Responder was called first for a non life threatening situation and was unable to respond within a reasonable time frame. win win mk