Canal boat insurance provider, Towergate Insurance Marine, has joined forces with breakdown and recovery specialist, River Canal Rescue, to produce a Guide listing the five most common causes of emergency call-outs and how to avoid them.
Available online at www.towergateinsurance.co.uk (click on boat, then boat tips) and www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk (click on tips and advice), the Guide has been written in a bid to reduce the increasing number of people requiring rescue support.
From January to September this year, River Canal Rescue responded to 3000 call-outs, yet for the whole of 2010 it made 1900 rescue visits.
Last year, the top five call-outs were; fuel issues and contamination 25%, batteries and electrical malfunctions 23%, breaking cables 12%, over-heating/cooling system breakdown 10% and gearbox/drive plate failures 7%. These were closely followed by; problems with alternators 6%, fan belts 5%, propellers 4%, starters 4% and couplings 4%*.
As well as breakdown advice, the Guide offers general preventative maintenance and tool box contents tips, discusses how to solve problems before calling out a third-party and gives a word of warning about bio-diesel.
Towergate Insurance Marine Managing Director, Nigel Mills, comments: “Over a nine month period, it appears call-outs have shot up by 57%, so in line with our ethos to provide more than just insurance, we thought canal boat owners would find this Guide to be a useful reference tool.”
River Canal Rescue Managing Director, Stephanie Horton agrees: “Many callouts can be avoided by regular servicing/maintenance and learning about your engine. This Guide will act as a prompt; encouraging owners to develop routines that will really help to keep unnecessary costs to a minimum and ensure a holiday or break is not spoiled by an ill-timed breakdown."
Canal boat owners taking out a Fresh Waters policy with Towergate Insurance Marine can either purchase River Canal Rescue support at a discounted rate or opt for a higher level of policy cover and receive it automatically.
For further breakdown information visit either of the websites and for insurance advice call 0800 515629 or 01743 284664.
