Insurance is a necessity when owning a boat and finding the right agent is an important part of boat ownership.
Meet, Mary LaFleur Owner , Managing Agent and Marine Specialist with ALT Insurance Group. Mary has been in the insurance industry for 31 years. She started with Farmers Insurance Group in the Tacoma area and after 24 years with them, became an independent agent to offer her clients more choices.
Mary has also been on the water since she was six months old. She understands boating, she understands the challenges of boating, and she knows the FUN and the risk in being a boater.
Since 1987, her boat has resided in Anacortes, WA, while she built her business up in Tacoma, WA. In 2012, she moved all of her belongings, her family, and her business to Anacortes. She loves the lifestyle of Anacortes and it is a great boating community.
ALT Insurance offers more than just boating insurance. They also offer home, auto, and commercial. But, Yachting and Boating Insurance is Mary’s first love and what she has a great niche for.
As an independent, and someone who understands boating, she has the connections and the ability to find the best coverage’s for her clients. Saving them money and offering superior services are her claim to fame!
There are so many variables to yachting insurance and boaters need insurance customized to fit their needs. Boaters need an agent like Mary LaFleur, someone to help them make sure they are well protected against all the issues boaters face.
For example—Yacht policies, a boat is considered a yacht when it is over 26’ yachts. One of the things you want to look for in a policy is the Agreed Value, how they handle Partial Loss Settlements and what are the exclusions. If part of the boat is destroyed, do they depreciate the machinery or offer full-replacement?
Boaters also need to consider waterways and where they travel. Does their insurance cover them. This depends on the policy and the carrier.
There are various challenges to being on the water and boaters need an agent who understands those challenges. Some challenges are making sure you Secure the Yacht first before helping someone who is injured. Rats and otters can cause serious damage, do you have coverage for that? Make sure you have a Boat Watch person for your boat while you are away. Boat Watchers can catch issues before they become to serious, or make sure your boat is secure during bad weather. Many insurance claims are a result of fire or striking submerged or semi submerged objects.
Mary is known as the “Cookie Lady”. We asked how that started. It started as a way to get her name out there, she would wrap her business card in with her homemade cookies and pass them out on the docks, at boat shows, and more. It is a great way to break the ice and network with boaters. Mary is also known amongst boaters for her clam chowder.
Mary’s future plans include hiring full time staff to work in the office, this will allow her more time on the water doing what she loves best—boating. It is also a good way to network with boaters. And her claim to fame is, she answers the phone personally, 24/7, so it doesn’t matter where she is working.
ALT Insurance covers the whole west coast and utilizes some of the best insurance companies in the industry; Premier Marine, Travelers, Hartford, Progressive and others.
“I just like what I do,” Mary said.
What more could you ask for in an insurance agent. Mary knows boating, knows insurance, and is a great cook. She also is an advocate for boaters. She is a member of the Anacortes Marine Trades and sits on the Advisory Committee for the Port of Anacortes and is the Treasurer of the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce.
