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Old 03-14-2016, 02:20 PM   #16
BandB
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City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
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Several different subjects in one

First, as to having hull insurance to cover abandoned vessels. There is no insurance policy that would cover such under a hull policy. Some cover salvage but wouldn't even cover that when the boat was abandoned, especially if illegally done so.

So, now to liability. Yes, I do believe every boat owner should be required to have a minimum amount of liability insurance, much as on cars. Should that policy also cover salvage and environmental damage? Yes, absolutely minimum amounts on those as well.

Would that policy then cover salvage of an abandoned boat? No. Not unless insurance regulations were to be changed and dictate it do so. So I still do not see this helping on abandoned boats. They key is declaring them "at risk" and removing them from the waterways before they sink and salvage costs increase tremendously.

Now, the idea of an additional registration fee to cover salvage. I'm completely in favor. There are 922,000 boats registered in Florida. Just think what could be done with $9,220,000 based on an average of $10. Perhaps a sliding scale from $5 to $25 based on size of boat.

One other thought. For those boats not registered in FL, an annual anchoring permit of $5 to $25 as well, $5 or $10 for the vast majority of boats.

Then you just need a decent derelict vessel law.
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