Have been looking around for insurance and ran across this group.
Their underwriter is Berkeley Offshore and parent company is Gallagher Affinity.
Now obviously MOPS is tried and true. However, for two of the same policies, MOPS is 2k/year and 360 is 800$.
Only difference is 360 caps admiralty defense coverage at 2 million dollars, MOPS is unlimited.
Would love to hear some thoughts. Looking at quotes as an ATB Second Mate
I’m long past needing the insurance, but if I were in the market today among the obvious things like a comparison of benefits and coverage, I’d like to know what attorneys they provide for your defense and then do some research on them.
Just curious, what are you actually insuring?
Not something I have ever heard of.
Basically covering legal fees for admiralty, civil, and criminal lawyers, fines, and optionally lost wages.
Oil spills, navigational mishaps, crew member injury, the jet skier that jumps your bow wake and falls off in front you, etc. Whether at fault or not.
Ok, thanks for that, an interesting concept.
My Union covers all that.
At least I frigging well hope that they do, given that I have been paying them since 1976.
Years ago I started a small boat surveyor course; apart from finding out early on that it was complete rubbish I also discovered that you had to self fund your first year insurance at ÂŁ25,000.
So much for the change of career.
sounds like things everybody is probably already covered against by their employer. I bet there’s fine print that says, if your employer/union/etc covers anything on this policy they pay first. This way we can collect a premium, albeit small one taking on almost zero risk.
I’m really intrigued about this; has anybody had a successful claim on these policies?
What about jurisdiction and costs?
Are there excesses? Discounts?
Sounds like money for old rope to me.
I would imagine it would be in the companies best interest to cover the employee
Not necessarily. Just like HR is there to look after the company’s interests not yours, so too are the company’s lawyers.
I had a former coworker who ended up associated with an incident and it was clear when the company started collecting statements it was for their own defense not his. He was quite happy he could call MOPS for some quick representation during those initial meetings.
MOPS is the time tested and proven gold standard USCG license defense insurance in the US, including lost income coverage during any suspension.
MOPS also provides civil defense coverage, so that you have a good lawyer in case you are named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in some distant and expensive city.
$2000 a year is a lot of money for something that most of us never need to use, but if it’s ever needed, it’s a bargain.
If it’s $2000 for MOPS, and $800 for the low cost new competitor, be careful that you don’t get what you pay for.
I used MOPS when I was sailing. The union reimbursed the cost. I never used them so don’t know how they are in that regard.
I did however exchange emails with a lawyer that worked for the union about an incident. Nothing came of it but that was precisely the advice I was given - don’t make the mistake of assuming the company’s lawyer is looking out for your interests.
The company’s interest’s may be in alignment or they may not be. Either way don’t rely on the company’s lawyer for guidance with regards to that question. At least not until the dust settles and things are more clear.
After looking around a bit more and talking to some people, MOPS definitely sounds like the way to go. Even just to have the peace of mind of having professional advising just a phone call away.
Absolutely correct sir. Company lawyer means “Company Lawyer”.
Or forget that the company’s lawyers might encourage or reinforce that assumption.
The company lawyer’s conflicts of interest are obvious.
You would be wrong.
I dont trust my current employer to have my back, so I carry my own MOPS insurance now.
Your company is not your friend. Do not depend on them to defend you. I have seen that end badly.
This is actually true in any line of work. Many companies offer legal representation as a low cost benefit plan. I was offered this at several shore based employers.