Insurance for Seaweed

[Portage_Bay]

Janice,

I feel your frustration in having to jump through the hoops to get a driver's license, especially when you don't want or need one for your daily living. I recommend that you do what it takes to get one. As you say, keep the carrot in sight....

I'm a full time liveaboard in Washington state with no "real" dirt address. I had to do some fast talking at the DMV to get my driver's license issued to me with the address of the marina I call home port. I don't know why but having a driver's license seems critical. Once I had that everything else was relatively easy, including renewing my USCG license. I dread when my driver's license expires in 2020 and I'll be 70 and have to go into the DMV in person, no more mail renewals.

One thing I've done is rent a private mail box. The official address is
Street, PMB number
City, State Zip

I substitute the box number for apartment number on most forms and get away with it, including insurance most of the time. Until someone actually runs the address in a mapping app and finds it's a business. Then it's fast talking time again...

In one of your posts you said something about having to maintain a radio log for a 6 pack license. I don't think boats you'd run with a 6 pack are required to have and maintain a radio log any more. I haven't kept a radio log in over 30 yrs on boats up to and beyond 100 tons. Having any license makes getting insurance easier. Yeah, another hoop to jump through.

 

[CEC]

Did you try Progessive? They did not ask me for drivers license or require a survey. I used a broker and they said Progressive was one of the only ones that insure without that’s left.

 

[janice142]

A theory: Now, they can apply the points, for a violation ie speeding or DUI, to your driver's license. Dont have a driver's license, where will they apply the points?

True. Though not a teetotaler, I'm about as close as one can be. Drinking is not my thing.

Insurance- and I wasn’t invited to the party? Tragic...

On the road right now- interesting thread. Will chime in later...

Would love your input. Thanks! I'll PM my phone number.

Did you try Progessive? They did not ask me for drivers license or require a survey. I used a broker and they said Progressive was one of the only ones that insure without that’s left.

Jon Horton (recommended by MTOA) wrote a policy from Progressive Boats for Seaweed. At the bottom of page one (form 4999 FL 12/12) in handwriting (not part of the official paperwork) was a request for a driver's license number. I substituted that with a copy of my passport.

It didn't fly.

 

[DavidM]

I think that you are over thinking this problem. Get a Florida ID card for $25. When the insurance company asks for your drivers license number, give them the ID number. I will bet $$$ it will fly.


David

 

[AusCan]

I think that you are over thinking this problem. Get a Florida ID card for $25. When the insurance company asks for your drivers license number, give them the ID number. I will bet $$$ it will fly.


David

You may be right David.
Sometimes as long as there is a number to fill the box everyone is happy.

The Florida ID card has the same alpha-numeric format with 13 characters.

 

[sbu22]

What David and Auscan said - the great unwashed (us) think there is some deep analytic process going on. In fact, the problem probably amounts to a bubble-gummer clerk that can't check the box on the computer screen. Give them a Florida ID - bet it works.