Waterways Journal, 07/11/07
The Water Quality Insurance Syndicate (WQIS) created its 2007 Policy Form. The policy has been simplified by including and clarifying endorsements, while coverage has expanded, making it a flexible and complete insurance coverage. “When WQIS was formed, it was in response to the first imposition of strict liability for vessels and encompassed clean-up costs only. We operate in a different world now,” says Richard Hobbie, president of WQIS.
WQIS has historically written Scrappers, Builders and Repairers risks for their liabilities arising from spills and threats of spills. In order to accomplish this end, Yard operators had to purchase three separate policies from WQIS. WQIS now has created a new policy form, Blue Yard Boat/Ship Yard Form 2006 which combines all of the previous polices into one and expands and clarifies the coverage.
“Ship Yard owners and operators were constantly faced with having to purchase three separate policies to be properly covered. After hearing their concerns, we decided to act, devising a policy that offers the strongest possible coverage for the Boat and Ship Yard industry in the most direct, effective manner.” Richard Hobbie, President, WQIS.
Policy Details:
Legal liability arising from the discharge or the substantial threat of discharge as follows:
Those dealing with the vessels including activities such as:
WQIS is the largest underwriter of pollution liability insurance for marine vessels in the United States. Founded in 1971, WQIS has over 36 years of experience. As an absolute specialist, WQIS focuses only on the issues of marine pollution liability.
For details on Blue Yard Ship/Boat Yard coverage, please contact Russ Brown at rbrown@wqis.com or 212-292-8700, ext. 19
Marine Log, 07/29/02
Q: About a year ago, WQIS extended its pollution insurance to cover liabilities under U.S. state laws that may be broader in scope than federal laws. What sort of response has that received from the industry? About what percentage of the WQIS fleet now has this extra cover?
A: The response has been very good. Many brokers place it automatically on all the business they place with WQIS. Approximately one-third of the vessels purchase the coverage.
Insurancejournal.com, 10/29/01
WQIS has put together an excellent site from all angles. “We asked agents ‘What would you love to see in a website?’ before we built it,” says David Price of The James Group. WQIS.com is the favorable result.
Waterways Journal, 6/18/01
The business landscape in which river-related industries exist has changed markedly over the last 30 years, in large part as the result of passage of various pieces of environmental protection legislation.
Waterways Journal, 5/14/01
WQIS’ 30th Anniversary Parallels U.S. Efforts to Protect the Marine Environment
The United States has the most stringent, comprehensive marine pollution laws of any country on the planet. The last thirty years have marked an evolution from little legal enforcement to strict liability for marine pollution.
Hiscox Maritime, 3/99
In 1967, the TORREY CANYON ran aground off the Scilly Isles, the AMACO CADIZ incident made headlines in 1978 after grounding in the shoal waters off the Breton coast, and in 1989 the EXXON VALDEZ spill led to a fundamental change in how the United States views oil spills from vessels.