Prep for Hurricane

My insurance carrier is asking for a Hurricane Plan. I've taken my sailboat plan and modified it. A few questions.
Has anyone every been asked for this before?
I'm looking to insure a 48 Carver Californian that has a Bimini over the upper helm. On my sailboat I remove that. I'm think to do the same for the carver.
What do people do with the isinglass around the back sun decks that have a hard top? Do you remove it?
The rest is mostly stand stuff, lines, chafe protection, close seakcocks, check bilge pump, etc


Joe

The Brockerts said:

My insurance carrier is asking for a Hurricane Plan. I've taken my sailboat plan and modified it. A few questions.
Has anyone every been asked for this before?
I'm looking to insure a 48 Carver Californian that has a Bimini over the upper helm. On my sailboat I remove that. I'm think to do the same for the carver.
What do people do with the isinglass around the back sun decks that have a hard top? Do you remove it?
The rest is mostly stand stuff, lines, chafe protection, close seakcocks, check bilge pump, etc


Joe

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Everyone is asked for it. Everyone's is different. The one thing I emphasize is to make sure you word it as just a plan but no promises. Ours reads, "We may consider....., we may consider....., we may consider...." but it makes it clear we may not do any of those things. In fact, the most likely thing we'll do is check the lines, add where we feel needed, and leave it right where it is. So a part of our plan is describing where the boat is normally docked.

With some, their plan is to head elsewhere. That's fine, but understand may not be possible when the time comes so be sure you're not committing or promising.

Take the canvas down. Even a tropical storm storm can shred it.

Not everyone is asked for a plan; I haven't been, but I have a FL exclusion during hurricane season. Imo, part of the reason they ask you for a plan is to get you to think in advance. I don't recall anyone saying their plan was rejected by an insurance company.

I would also ask other boaters in your area what they do and what to expect. Also a good idea to talk to your marina. If your plan may include haulout, best to understand lead time. The marina should also be able to give you an idea of storm surge risk.

Ted

Call me a cynic, but I think the primary purpose of the plan is to provide the underwriter reasons to deny claims if any of the actions stated in the plan are not carried out. My plan is non-committal, as recommended by B&B above.

Mikala said:

Call me a cynic, but I think the primary purpose of the plan is to provide the underwriter reasons to deny claims if any of the actions stated in the plan are not carried out. My plan is non-committal, as recommended by B&B above.

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I would be interested if anyone is aware of them refusing to pay because a plan wasn't carried out. I have never heard of it. I think the word "plan" would give them trouble.

I think it's more as OCD suggests, but not just thinking, that if people put it in writing, they're try to execute it.

BandB said:

The one thing I emphasize is to make sure you word it as just a plan but no promises. Ours reads, "We may consider....., we may consider....., we may consider...." but it makes it clear we may not do any of those things...

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This is important. I also add language such as "when I determine it is safe to do so..." or "based on predicted path and intensity of the storm..." so I have a little flexibility. I'm pretty cautious, but I don't do every task for every named storm - I make decisions based on the situation at hand.

I've never heard of anyone having a claim denied because their plan called for some action they didn't take - but I'd argue that it is certainly a possibility.

Don't forget the "simple stuff" such as having enough lines to at least double what you normally use and be able to add more. Extra fenders/fender boards, a plan to secure the dinghy, etc.
And lots of recent pictures.
If you tie in place I would take a picture of that also.

I hope you don't need any of this information!!

O C Diver said:

Not everyone is asked for a plan; I haven't been, but I have a FL exclusion during hurricane season. Imo, part of the reason they ask you for a plan is to get you to think in advance. I don't recall anyone saying their plan was rejected by an insurance company.

I would also ask other boaters in your area what they do and what to expect. Also a good idea to talk to your marina. If your plan may include haulout, best to understand lead time. The marina should also be able to give you an idea of storm surge risk.

Ted

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Ted, I never was asked for one when I went back to Jersey every summer.


This year stopping in Myrtle Beach they asked me for one and raised my rates.


They are truly clueless in my opinion...but they use algorithms which makes them profits, but which I think could use a bit of tweaking.


The chances from damage from a NJ nor'easter where I was I am certain was greater than from a 'cane here.... but statistically the damage "might" be greater here if you don't really care about reality....even though it had its hit last year which I think drops the probabbility according t the NHS back decades, the lace I am is so protected and ready...I feel uch safer here than in jersey and I will put my experience agaist most.

It depends on how granular the data is that insurance companies use. Some just lump everyone in the state together, regardless of whether you are on an exposed coast, or in a protected harbor. They think of everything in terms of "Frequency x Severity". If there are 10 noreasters for every hurricane, but the hurricanes generate 50 times more in payouts, a hurricane is 5 times more costly than a noreaster for them.

High Wire said:

Take the canvas down. Even a tropical storm storm can shred it.

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This. And get anything that has any chance of moving off the aft deck too. Consider taping any windows that face out there too. People underestimate the power of these things.

IF you are moving to your favorite hurricane hole, do it early as many bridges will not open in over 35mph winds.

Just because canvass lasted thru a 60 mph thunderstorm , there is little reason to expect it will last in a 120 mph hurricane.

What ever the steady state winds gusts can be 50% higher.

Chafe gear is not to prevent lines from rubbing , it is to absorb the heat from rubbing to keep lines stronger longer.