Insurance for guide services?

[B8fish]

My guide service has taken off faster than was planned. I guess that's a good thing. I am going to see a finacial planner next week to incorporate. But I have been worried about the insurance. What kind do I need to get to protect myself and the clients on the boat? What is my liability? And how much does a good plan cost? I know there are a lot of sucessful guides on this site and really hope some of you can give me some good advice.
TIGHT LINES AND KEEP YOUR BAIT WET

[zinsurance]

Coverages, policies, and premiums vary from state to state so some of the coverages I might mention may be called something else or not available. You will want a commercial general liability policy. These policies typically have coverage for personal injury, bodily injury, property damage, ect. A policy may also have certian exclusions for coverage, if so you need to know what the are. I would recommend talking with your insurance agent, or seek an agent that specializes in marine policies. It may even be possible for you to get a package policy that would provide full coverage for your boat and liability needs together.

[FishTrap]

Be sure to start-out by checking the "history" of your insurer:

www.badfaithinsurance.org

[fishdoc]

I'm tryin to get my guide business started also. guides I've talked to say to get charter boat ins. also suggested gettin it set up as a LLC (limited liability corp.) any advantage to either?

[zinsurance]

I don't know much about charter boat insurance, not much opportunity to write those type of policies here in western oklahoma, but I would expect it to be much like the package policy I described above. A LLC is good because if sued people only have access to your business assets. That's much better than possibly losing cars, stocks, personal property ect.

[M R Dux]

I don't know about fishing guide insurance but I have insurance for my waterfowl outfitting business. I used to get it from Davis-Garvin out of Columbia, SC. Last season I used Coastal Plains out of Hilton Head. I didn't have any problems with either just a slight cost difference. Both offered insurance for hunting guides, not many do. I carry $1million in liability coverage, my businesses are LLCs and all my clients sign a waiver that holds me and any landowner we hunt on non-liable if an accident occurs. Not sure if any of it would hold up in front of a bleeding-heart jury but it lets me sleep at night.

[Wiskers]

Being an ol'towboat pilot and knowing how the USCG (United States Coast Guard) thinks, I would like to also mention this.

I'm sure you know but I'll mention it anyway. Anytime you carry passengers for hire you have to have a USCG license in addition to your guide's license. Not one to the extent that I have but what they call a 6 pack license. At least that's what the locals call it. Anyway... What a lot of folks don't know is anytime you fall under the licensing of the USCG there are issues you have to deal with. For instance negligence . If you have an incident that results in injury, death, environmental or property damage you are require to report it to the USCG. Failure to report is a major BOO BOO! If it's pretty serious it will be reviewed. If you are found negligent it can carry a hefty fine (and I do mean HEFTY), revocation or suspention of your license and possibly jail time. I know several guides around here and most of them had no idea what having that license exposed them to.

Not trying to rain on anybody's parade just wanted to make everyone in the guide business aware of this.

Trust me. The USCG has very little common since when it comes to accident investigation. To them it's black & white. Whatever the REG says is what they go by.

Remember! CYA

[fishdoc]

took the USCG captain's class and passed the tests. waitin on my last reference letter before I submit my application. CPR and First Aid courses. business licence, web site. won't start up til I have the proper ins. talked to a lawyer bout a waiver, he said it ain't worth the paper its printed on. you take'em out, ya responsible for bringin'em back. talked to USCG, they said ya take'em out for money, ya need the capt's lic. thanx for the affirmation!

[B8fish]

took the USCG captain's class and passed the tests. waitin on my last reference letter before I submit my application. CPR and First Aid courses. business licence, web site. won't start up til I have the proper ins. talked to a lawyer bout a waiver, he said it ain't worth the paper its printed on. you take'em out, ya responsible for bringin'em back. talked to USCG, they said ya take'em out for money, ya need the capt's lic. thanx for the affirmation!

This is a huge debate. I have a liscense here in Florida that covers me in two counties of my choice. But prior to that I did not have to have a license for water that was non-navigable. That means water that could not get you to the ocean. No Coast Gaurd navigation makers...No Guide License needed. I have never actually ask the Coast Gaurd that question but all the guides in this area told me this and alot work under that assumption. I do know that I can no longer take the risk of not having some security and safety in a good insurance policy. A hook in the eye could really cost me a fortune. And you are right... a waiver is barley worth the paper it is printed on. I really appreciate all the great info.

[Jerry Blake]

Give this guy a call or email - he saved me a couple hundred bux on my charter policy.

Jim Concidine
877-286-5666
[email protected]

I agree that in most states a waiver isn't worth the paper it's on. Also, if you're setting up an LLC in an effort to protect your personal assets that may not be worth the trouble either. Nowadays, in many courts, if you as a professional are found liable for negligence there isn't much of anything that can help you except maybe a one-way ticket to Canada, Mexico or somewhere else that's far away.