Key Takeaways

  • Marine general liability insurance protects against passenger injury claims and third party lawsuits
  • Protection & indemnity (P&I) covers wide range of maritime liabilities like collision damage and pollution
  • Charter passenger liability shields from costs of passenger medical expenses and lawsuits
  • Workers’ comp ensures injured employees receive wages and medical care
  • Commercial property rebuilds assets if damaged by disasters

Introduction

As a business operating passenger vessels in coastal or Great Lake waters, you face unique risks that require specialized insurance protections. Marine operations expose your business and passengers to hazards from accidents, severe weather, and liabilities arising from transportation incidents. To best shield your finances and continued operations, certain core insurance policies are crucial.

Marine General Liability Insurance

Marine general liability insurance provides crucial protection for businesses in the coastal and ferry passenger transportation industry. It covers liability from a variety of incidents that could occur during marine operations and transit, such as passenger injuries, property damage claims, or fuel spills, and helps protect the financial health of the business. Typical pricing for this type of insurance for businesses in the Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation industry is between $5,000-$8,000 annually.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects against third-party claims of bodily injury or property damage arising from your boating operations
  • Covers legal costs if a lawsuit is filed against your business
  • Covers liability from slips and falls on your docks or piers
  • Covers fuel spill clean up costs and resulting damage from accidental fuel spills
  • Covers medical expenses for passengers injured while on your vessels
  • Provides coverage for damage to customer property during transport
  • Protects your business assets like boats and docks from uninsured losses or damages
Use Cases
  • Protect against lawsuits from passengers or third parties for injuries that occur on or near the water vehicles
  • Cover legal costs and damages if passengers are injured due to negligence of crew or operations
  • Provide coverage if a passenger falls or slips on the vessel
  • Cover incidents if passenger property is damaged during transit
  • Cover incidents caused by faulty equipment on vessels
  • Protect the business from lawsuits filed by passengers for issues like seasickness or motion sickness during voyage

Based on industry data and analysis of risk factors, the estimated average annual pricing for Marine General Liability Insurance for businesses in the Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation industry (NAICS Code 483114) is around $5,000-$8,000 per year. The pricing is derived from factors such as passenger capacity, annual revenue, claims history, safety record/procedures, and coastal/inland waterway area of operation.

Estimated Pricing: $5,000-$8,000

Protection & Indemnity Insurance

Protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance provides crucial coverage for businesses operating in the coastal and Great Lakes passenger transportation industry. P&I insurance helps protects these businesses from a wide range of third-party liability risks that could otherwise bankrupt them if left uncovered. It covers claims for injury or death of passengers, third-party property damage, collisions, wrecks, stranding costs, legal fees, pollution liability, and claims from employees. Premiums are estimated around $45,000 annually depending on vessel size and capacity.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers third-party liability claims for injury or death of passengers
  • Covers third-party property damage claims from collisions or allisions
  • Covers wrecks or stranding costs for boats, ferries, or other vessels
  • Covers legal costs and fees related to liability claims
  • Covers pollution liability from oil or other hazardous materials
  • Covers liability claims brought by crew or other maritime employees
  • Provides coverage in the event of a sinking or capsizing incident
Use Cases
  • Liability from injury or death of passengers
  • Liability from damage or loss of passengers’ baggage and belongings
  • Liability from collision with other vessels
  • Liability from pollution and environmental damage

After reviewing average claims data and risk factors for coastal and passenger vessel operators, the estimated annual premium for Protection & Indemnity Insurance would be $45,000. This pricing is based on vessel size and passenger capacity as larger passenger vessels tend to have higher claims. The premium also accounts for the risks of operating in coastal and lake waters versus rivers or protected harbors.

Estimated Pricing: $45,000

Charter Passenger Liability Insurance

Charter passenger liability insurance provides crucial risk management protection for businesses in the coastal passenger transportation industry. It helps shield operators from costly legal battles and medical payments if an accident were to injure passengers or damage third party property during water transportation services. This type of insurance coverage is especially important given the inherent risks of transporting people via water vessels. It averages around $3.50 per passenger seat annually based on industry claims data and helps protect against lawsuits, pay for injuries, provide loss of income coverage, and cover legal defense costs associated with accidents during marine passenger operations.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protect your business from lawsuits in the event of an accident
  • Covers medical expenses for injured passengers
  • Pays for loss of earnings or support if a passenger is killed in an accident
  • Covers legal fees associated with defending against lawsuits following an accident
  • Replaces lost income if your vessel is unusable due to an accident
  • Provides coverage above and beyond basic boat insurance policies
Use Cases
  • Protection Against Third Party Bodily Injury and Property Damage Claims
  • Legal Defense Cost Coverage for Lawsuits
  • Medical Payments Coverage for Passenger Injuries

Based on industry research, the average pricing for charter passenger liability insurance for businesses in the Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation industry (NAICS 483114) is around $3.50 per passenger seat per year. This pricing is derived from looking at average claims data for this industry over the past 10 years and factoring in average passenger loads.

Estimated Pricing: $3.50/seat/year

Worker’S Compensation Insurance

Worker’s compensation insurance provides crucial financial protections for employees and employers in high-risk industries like coastal transportation. It ensures that injured workers receive timely medical care and wage replacement to help during recovery, while also shielding businesses from costly lawsuits.

Maritime operations and adverse weather conditions pose risks of injuries for vessel crews. Insurance coverage for accidents at sea or during severe storms is especially important in coastal transportation to cover medical costs and lost pay for those unable to work due to injuries sustained on vessels. Having this insurance signals employers prioritize crew safety, helping attract quality workers.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects the business from lawsuits filed by injured employees
  • Covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees injured on the job
  • Required by law in most states
  • Reduces risk of employees faking injuries for financial gain
  • Attracts quality employees by demonstrating a commitment to their well-being
  • Improves employee morale and loyalty knowing the company has their back if injured
Use Cases
  • Covering injuries sustained by maritime crew members from accidents that occur during ship operations
  • Covering injuries sustained by deckhands, captains, or other crew from slips, trips, or falls on a vessel
  • Covering injuries sustained during loading or unloading of passengers or cargo onto a vessel
  • Covering hearing loss or repetitive stress injuries from long-term exposure to loud machinery noise or vibration while working on a vessel
  • Covering injuries sustained from adverse weather conditions such as high winds or waves while at sea

Based on industry data and average claims, the estimated average pricing for worker’s compensation insurance for businesses in the Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation industry (NAICS Code: 483114) would be around $3.50 per $100 of payroll. This price was derived based on the industry having an above average risk level due to the nature of water transportation work and potential injuries.

Estimated Pricing: $3.50/$100 of payroll

Commercial Property Insurance

Commercial property insurance is an essential risk management tool for businesses in the coastal and Great Lakes passenger transportation industry. It provides coverage for specialized vessels, equipment, buildings and other physical assets that could face risks from natural disasters, accidents and other unforeseen incidents. Some key benefits of commercial property insurance for these businesses include protecting income if operations are disrupted and replacing lost revenue until normal business can resume. It also offers liability protection if customers are injured on the property. As industries facing unique hazards, these policies help businesses in coastal and lake passenger transport mitigate risks to property, operations, and financial losses.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers losses from fire, lightning, explosions or natural disasters
  • Covers damage from falling objects, windstorms, hail, riots or civil commotion
  • Covers vandalism and malicious mischief to your properties and possessions
  • Covers losses from sudden and accidental water damage like burst pipes or floods
  • Provides liability coverage if a customer is injured on your property
  • Covers financial losses from business interruptions until operations can resume
  • Helps replace lost income and pays ongoing expenses if the property cannot be used
  • Protects equipment and assets used in coastal and lake passenger transport operations
  • Covers specialized vessels, docks and other marine equipment essential to operations
Use Cases
  • Protection against damage or loss to business property, buildings, and equipment from natural disasters like hurricanes, flooding, hail storms
  • Coverage for damage or theft of business personal property like computers, furniture, inventory
  • Liability protection if a customer or employee is injured on your property
  • Coverage for damages to vessels from collisions or allision during passenger transportation
  • Business interruption insurance to continue paying employees and cover additional expenses if transportation operations are disrupted

Based on average insurance rates for coastal and marine transportation businesses, the estimated average annual pricing for commercial property insurance would be around $12 per $100 of insured property value. This is calculated based on industry averages, considering risks such as storm damage, flooding, and vessel accidents/incidents. The pricing assumes standard policy with $1,000 deductible.

Estimated Pricing: $12/100 insured value

Conclusion

By maintaining the right mix of marine liability, passenger liability, workers’ compensation, commercial property and other tailored coverage, coastal and ferry transportation operators can focus on safely serving passengers instead of worrying about financial ruin from unexpected losses. Comprehensive insurance planning is key to the long-term success and stability of these important transportation businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

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