AVOID THAT “SINKING” FEELING

“Cruising down the river on a Sunday afternoon” was a fine suggestion that Russ Morgan had when he recorded the song by that same name in 1949.  Of course, you would think that anything to do with boating would be totally a moot topic in Arizona but such is NOT the case.  In fact, per capita Arizona has more boats than Hawaii or New Jersey!  As a result, it is not surprising that if you own a boat in that state it is important to know a little bit about boat insurance in Arizona!

The main issue with boats, as with cars, is the liability factor.  As a result, it only makes sense to know about those issues that affect the rates.  One of these, and probably the one you have the most control over, is the cause of boat accidents in the state.  Of the top ten, the operator has direct control over no less than EIGHT!  These include Inexperience, Inattention, Reckless Operation, Failure to Yield, Boating on Congested Waterways, Excessive Speed, Overloading and Alcohol use.

“Far too often,” says Jim Bivona of BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP, an insurance brokerage firm in Glendale, Arizona,  “we get so caught up in the excitement of the moment that we don’t effectively evaluate the situation and conditions around us.  When that happens, we find that we are putting ourselves at increased risk.”

Assuming that we don’t fall victim to any of the conditions above, there are steps that we can take to ensure that the rates we pay for our boat insurance in Arizona are at the most reasonable rates possible.  These include, but are not limited to, the fact that we ensure our boats have as many safety features as possible – Emergency Position Indication Ration Beacons (EPIRBS), depth finders, navigation systems, carbon monoxide detectors and automatic fire extinguishers.

Interestingly enough, a clean driving record may help to lower your boat insurance rates, too.  In fact, if you were to get a DUI on the water it will show up on your DMV records as well!  Another way to reduce rates is to take safety classes.  This is so important that the La Paz County Sheriff’s office has a Boating Safety and Enforcement Division, which is supervised by the Boating Lieutenant and consists of four certified Deputies and 4 Seasonal Boating Safety Officers, who conduct up to six safety classes a year, with more available if the need warrants.  La Paz county waterways are the second most used in the state, trailing only Mohave County.
To know if you are getting the best rates possible for your boat insurance in Arizona, check with your agent and review your policy.  Or, if you prefer, you can contact Jim Bivona at 623-256-1000 and he and his staff will be happy to look your policy over and advise you whether or not you might be eligible for better boat insurance rates.  Either way, make sure your boat insurance will keep you financially afloat should disaster strike while you are on the waterways.
To learn more about the BIVONA INSURANCE GROUP go to www.bivonainsurance.com

To learn more about this topic, visit the sites below:
http://www.azgfd.gov/i_e/pubs/Top10Causes.shtml

http://www.lapazsheriff.org/boating.html