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Boating Safety
By Jordan Walt, Fri Dec 9th
AIC Insurance Agency advises boaters to take necessaryprecautions to be safe during the summer season, the time ofyear when boat accident claims increase in frequency by 45percent, according to a recent analysis of claims incidence atTravelers, a leading provider of boat and yacht insurance.“Substantially more people are on the water during the summer,so that is the time boaters should be extra careful to protecttheir family, friends and watercraft from a loss,” said JordanWalt of AIC Insurance Agency. “It’s also a good time to reviewyour boat and yacht insurance with an independent agent to besure you have adequate coverage.” AIC Insurance Agencyrecommends the following boat safety tips: ·Wear a life jacket:80 percent of drowning victims were not wearing a PFD (PersonalFlotation Device) or life jacket. Most states require thatchildren under a certain age wear a life jacket and that everyboat be equipped with one life jacket per passenger. ·Take aboating course: Even if your state does not mandate thecompletion of a course prior to obtaining your boatinglicense, both you and your passengers will benefit from aformalized course. To learn more about safety classes,visit www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/classes/master.shtml. ·Schedule avessel safety check: The Coast Guard auxiliary offers freesafety checks. For more information, visitwww.vesselsafetycheck.org/getvsc or call 1-800-368-5647. ·Equipyour boat with an emergency kit and be familiar with how to useeach of the items. Travelers recommends including the following:fire extinguisher, first aid kit, visual distress signal and/ora Coast Guard-approved throw able PFD, such as a life ring or ahorseshoe. Organize an emergency plan and make sure thatpassengers are familiar with it. Remember to test equipment andbe knowledgeable of the suggested guidelines for usage andreplacement. ·Be prepared for the weather:
Check the weatherforecast before going on the water and be equipped for changes.·Know where you are: The Coast Guard recommends having charts, aGPS (Global Positioning System) and a reliable means ofcommunication on board. ·Know how to contact the Coast Guard:Marine radio is the preferred method to communicate on the waterbecause it broadcasts to other boaters in the vicinity. If usinga cell phone on the water, test it for a maritime emergency bydialing *CG (*24). There is no charge or penalty for calling totest the signal. ·Do not drink and drive: According to the CoastGuard, a boat operator with a blood alcohol level of .10 percentis 10 times more likely to be killed in a accident thana boat operator with a blood alcohol level of zero. Operating aboat while drinking is illegal in several states. Remember thatthe effects of alcohol are exacerbated when combined with sunexposure and being on the water. Established in 1995, AICInsurance Agency is an independent insurance agency offering afull range of insurance products including auto, home, life, andcommercial. For information and quotes on insurance coverage,please visit AIC Insurance Agency at 14000 SE Johnson Rd. Ste.210 Milwaukie, OR 97267 or call (503) 653-8287. Travelers, thesecond largest writer of auto and homeowners insurance throughindependent agents, is a member of St. Paul Travelers, a leadingprovider of property casualty insurance. Travelers carries avariety of comprehensive, competitive boat and yacht productsoffered by a staff of specialists for vessels with values up to$5 million. For more information, visit www.travelers.com. About the author:Graduate of Oregon State University and independent insuranceagent for AIC Insurance Agency in Oregon.
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