TREASURE COAST, FL – MIATC – AUG 28 2025
MARINE GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE
The MIATC has scoured the earth looking for a helpful solution to the cost of insurance for small marine-related businesses. This multi-year effort has finally found a source of liability underwriting for ‘artisan’ contractors in the industry. The definition of ‘artisan’ in these terms are gross receipts of $500,000 or less annually as it relates to marine work. The program is titled “Association Artisan Insurance Program (AAIP) and is in a pilot phase at the time of this release.
The intended policy will provide an MIATC member, through outside agencies, to apply and obtain Liability Insurance, Ship Repairer’s Liability Insurance, and Worker’s Compensation coverage sufficient to enter the majority of shipyards, marinas and facilities in the region.
President of the Association, Dan Romence of Indiantown Marine Center says “the logical argument that many small contractors are less risk of liability than only a few larger ones has finally been heard. This is the mission of our Association: represent and help the entire industry, and while we’ve been working very hard at building it up in the Treasure Coast, we can also provide value in helping reduce costs or expand the pool of contractors that can work in the larger facilities. We look forward to expanding the model as much as we can, especially since the Association does not take any revenue from it – all the savings goes to the member.”
An open invitation for artisan contractors interested in obtaining or changing their coverage to contact the Association is active. The minimum contractor threshold to be able to exit the pilot phase of the program into full release is quite low and very attainable. Restrictions apply and not all applicants can be approved by underwriters.
HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS
The Association also has found an industry policy for employee health benefits, through a separate agency. Results thus far indicate that employers are saving a substantial amount of money on benefits packages, or are able to get access to benefits that were previously cost prohibitive to them. This is important for employee attraction and retention as well as the general health of the labor force. Says Association Executive Director Rob Mac Keen, “we’ve all heard or experienced the horror stories of people bankrupting themselves just to get healthy or stay alive at hospitals around the country. To live without some sort of medical coverage, or not provide coverage to employees is immensely dangerous and almost irresponsible. This program may be able to cover 1099 employee contractors as well, so it is well worth an email or phone call to see what a Member can qualify for.”
Contact the Association at exec@miatc.org or go to the Liability Insurance or Health Insurance pages on the MIATC website.
The Association notes that both insurance initiatives require the member to be verified by the agencies as a member in good standing with the Association membership. Non-members interested in all the benefits of MIATC membership can contact exec@miatc.org or join up online at www.miatc.org/membership/#join. The MIATC is a 501(c)(6) non-profit in the State of Florida and does not act nor conduct business as an insurance underwriter, broker or agency. All services described above are the property of associate companies and at their sole discretion.
