Comprehensive Ocean Marine Insurance for Your Maritime Risks
Whether you own a fleet of commercial vessels, operate a marina, or move cargo by water, your operations face unique risks on every trip. Ocean marine insurance helps protect your vessels, equipment, and cargo so you can focus on running a safe and profitable business.
Ingram Insurance Group is an independent insurance agency based in Dayton, Ohio, serving clients across OH, KY, WV, TN, PA, MI, and FL. We help you secure ocean marine insurance solutions that are aligned with your routes, contracts, and exposure, with coverage tailored to protect your key maritime investments.
Protection Tailored to Your Marine Operations
No two marine operations are the same. The size and type of vessel, the nature of your cargo, your trading areas, and your contractual obligations all affect the coverage you need. We work with you to understand your operations and help you explore options that fit your specific situation.
From insuring hulls and machinery to protecting the cargo you move and the liability you may have to third parties, our goal is to help you build a balanced insurance program. As an independent agency, we are not tied to a single insurer. We can review choices from multiple insurance carriers to help you find coverage that aligns with your risk profile and budget.
Key potential benefits of ocean marine insurance can include:
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Protection for vessels, equipment, and machinery against physical loss
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Cargo coverage for goods while in transit by water
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Liability protection for bodily injury and property damage to others
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Coverage options that reflect your routes, contracts, and operations
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Advisory support to help you understand terms, conditions, and limits
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Jones Act
Risk Factor
The Jones Act is a federal law that mandates compensation to crew members who are injured as a result of negligence while on the job. Standard workers’ compensation insurance does not provide coverage for crew members, and a separate statute, The Harbor Workers Compensation Act, provides coverage for non-crew members.
Solution
Any organization that has crew members among their employees should be sure to have Jones Act coverage added to their policy. This coverage is not automatically added to most boat insurance policies, increasing the risk of exposure to large liability claims.
United States Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)
Risk Factor
Non-crew members could be injured or killed on the job, but if that happens while working on navigable waters in the US, including any adjoining pier, wharf, dry dock, terminal, building-way, marine railway, or other adjoining areas customarily used by an employer in loading, unloading, repairing, dismantling, or building a vessel, they won’t be covered under traditional workers’ compensation.
Solution
Employers can purchase LHWCA coverage to provide compensation to workers who are injured on the job in scenarios ordinarily excluded under workers’ compensation. This includes coverage for divers, repair personnel, and equipment suppliers.
General Liability
Risk Factor
Water on the floor, slippery entry in the winter, broken glass, and hazardous debris. These are all accidents waiting to happen, and can make your business susceptible to claims due to bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and other related risks.
Solution
General liability insurance is an absolute necessity for any business. It provides broad coverage when you are deemed responsible and liable, and will also pay to defend any covered lawsuit or action, regardless of its merit.
Workers’ Compensation
Risk Factor
If one of your employees receives an injury or becomes ill due to a work-related occurrence, you are required by law to have the proper insurance coverage in place.
Solution
Maintain workers’ compensation insurance to provide benefits to eligible employees. Otherwise, you can be penalized for every day that coverage is not maintained, as well as for any benefits an employee would have been eligible for in the event of a job-related injury or sickness.
Business or Commercial Auto
Risk Factor
You may have many exposures associated with your business vehicles—owned or leased. With a fleet of cars, trucks, vans, or other types of vehicles used in the course of business, a single accident can potentially put your business in financial jeopardy.
Solution
Business auto insurance provides coverage for vehicles owned or leased by a contractor and provides coverage for bodily injury, property damage, and other exposures, and could include comprehensive and collision coverage as well.
Commercial Umbrella
Risk Factor
What happens when your business faces a large liability loss that exceeds the basic limit of your standard policy?
Solution
A commercial umbrella policy provides high limits of insurance, typically between $2,000,000 and $10,000,000. Coverage is extended over your general liability insurance, workers’ compensation, business auto, as well as directors and officers liability coverage. It provides a great safety net and helps ensure your business is well protected.
Marine Cargo Insurance
Risk Factor
The cargo being carried by your ship can be damaged or lost due to an accident or delays during transport and unloading. Cargo can also be damaged on the way to the port, ship, or other forms of transport, such as rail and truck.
Solution
Marine cargo insurance offers protection against loss or damage to cargo in a variety of circumstances. This coverage is often required by contract. There are many different types of marine cargo policies depending on the circumstances and items in transit.
Equipment and Building Materials
Risk Factor
Your business’ equipment is exposed to potential loss due to damage or theft. Without the specialized equipment your organization needs, operations may have to come to a halt. Similarly, if your building materials are damaged or stolen, your job may be put on hold.
Solution
Insurance coverage for your specialized business equipment, tools, and building materials is a must. The policy will cover equipment and materials for a variety of losses, including fire, explosion, vandalism, theft, collision with other equipment or objects, and overturning.
Commercial Property Coverage
Risk Factor
When a fire, theft, or another type of disaster strikes, your commercial property and everything within it can suffer a significant loss. This can have a detrimental effect on your business.
Solution
Commercial property insurance can help protect the property your business owns and leases, including things like equipment, inventory, furniture, and fixtures. Whether you own your building or lease your workspace, commercial property insurance can be purchased separately or can be combined with other necessary coverages to protect your business’ physical assets.
Pollution
Risk Factor
Pollution and environmental contamination is an increasing risk that can occur due to improper storage and use of chemicals, run-off, fuel leaks, and other situations. Pollutant cleanup is generally excluded from basic insurance policies. Leaking from an aboveground or underground fuel tank, for example, can be very costly to remediate.
Solution
It is difficult to control pollution risks, but not impossible. You can protect yourself from this type of risk by obtaining environmental insurance that provides coverage for both bodily injury and property damage caused by a pollution incident. This type of insurance can provide coverage for clean up costs and third party lawsuits that result from contamination.
How Our Ocean Marine Insurance Process Works
When you reach out to Ingram Insurance Group about ocean marine insurance, we start by learning about your operations in detail. This often includes the types and sizes of vessels, where you operate, the types of cargo you carry, your ownership structure, and the contracts you work under. We use this information to identify risk areas and coverage needs.
Next, we approach insurance carriers that offer ocean marine coverage and review available policy options with you. We explain what is covered, what is excluded, and how deductibles and limits apply, so you can make informed decisions. Once coverage is placed, we remain available to assist with policy changes, renewals, and questions that arise as your maritime operations evolve.
Why Work with Ingram Insurance Group for Marine Coverage
Ocean marine insurance involves many moving parts, from vessel and cargo values to contractual liability and marine regulations. As an independent agency, we focus on helping you understand your options rather than fitting you into a single standard policy. Our role is to act as your advisor, helping you evaluate coverage in the context of your broader business and investment goals.
We also recognize that many marine-based businesses operate across state lines and in coastal or inland waters. Serving clients across OH, KY, WV, TN, PA, MI, and FL, we are familiar with the multi-state considerations that can affect your insurance needs. Whether you are adding a new vessel, changing ports, or expanding your routes, we help you review how those changes may affect your coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ocean Marine Insurance
What is ocean marine insurance?
Ocean marine insurance is a type of coverage designed to help protect vessels, cargo, and related maritime liabilities associated with waterborne transportation and marine operations. It can address physical damage to insured property and certain third-party liabilities, depending on the policy.
Who needs ocean marine insurance?
Businesses that own or operate vessels, transport cargo by water, or have financial interests in goods moved over water often consider ocean marine insurance. This can include vessel owners, cargo owners, freight forwarders, and businesses that rely on marine transport as part of their operations.
What does an ocean marine policy typically cover?
Coverage varies by policy and insurer, but ocean marine insurance may include hull and machinery coverage for vessels, cargo coverage for goods in transit, and liability protection related to bodily injury or property damage to others. Specific terms, conditions, and exclusions apply and should be reviewed carefully.
Can you help if my operations span multiple states?
Yes. Ingram Insurance Group serves clients across OH, KY, WV, TN, PA, MI, and FL. We take your operating areas into account when reviewing policy options so you can consider coverage that reflects your routes and locations.
How do I know how much coverage I need?
The amount of coverage you may need depends on factors such as vessel values, cargo values, contractual obligations, and your risk tolerance. We review these details with you and explain available options so you can choose limits and deductibles that align with your needs and financial objectives.
Protect Your Vessels And Cargo With The Right Coverage Today
Secure tailored ocean marine insurance solutions designed to protect your vessels, crew, and cargo wherever you operate. At Ingram Insurance Group, we take the time to understand your routes, risks, and operations so we can build coverage that fits; if you are ready to review your options or request a quote, please contact us today.
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