We finally got our insurance updated and we are heading north tomorrow. Here is what happened:
We have insurance that is good in the US from Point Conception (So Cal, US) to the Mexican border, and the “Pacific waters of Mexico,” down to Acupulco. But during ‘Hurricane Season’ (June 15 to October 15) we need to be north of 27 degrees N Latitude. Just last week our insurance agent informed us that the “Pacific waters of Mexico” includes the Sea of Cortez outside of Hurricane Season, but not during Hurricane Season. There was nothing in the insurance policy that made that distinction so our plan had been to stay in the Sea of Cortez, north of 27 for Hurricane Season. But now we are told we won’t be covered if we do. There is not much of interest north of 27 in Mexico on the Pacific Coast, the west side of Baja.
So we needed new insurance. Our agent was not helpful in finding something that would work. So we found an agent that said “Yes, no problem!” We spent 5 days working with her on the application and other documentation, for a policy that cost $12K, which is 4 times our current policy ($2.9K). And then, after 5 days, they tell us “Oh, sorry, this policy is not for multi-hull vessels.”
Back to square one. So now we contact multiple agents and fill out many different applications and in 3 days we find that Novamar, an insurance company in Mexico, will insure us for $6.5K. Expensive, but a lot better than $12K! And the agent was GREAT. He answered all my questions (I actually read the fine print and ask when it does not look right to me). As of this afternoon, we have a new policy that allows us to be anywhere on the Pacific side of Mexico, including the Sea of Cortez. Yea!
So tomorrow, we start heading north, exploring as we go. We will do lots of swimming and snorkeling, some hiking and exploring the islands and bays. By June 27 we will be in Puerto Escondido, a bit south of Loreto. June 29 we fly to San Diego and we will spend the July 4th weekend seeing friends and family in the SF Bay area, then back to San Diego, flying back to Loreto July 13.
For the next 2 weeks our phone and internet access will be very spotty so there may not be another post before June 27. Our location tracker will continue to update every hour so you will know where we are. 🙂