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regulated, longshore claims fall under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Labor and more severe penalties and legal ramiÞ cations can be imposed for noncompliance. When working on a vessel, individuals are typically cov- ered with the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, more commonly known as the Jones Act. The Jones Act is a federal act, which provides beneÞ ts Ð similar to WorkersÕ Compensation Ð to em- ployees who are working on a US-ß agged vessel, which can be deÞ ned as anything from a small watercraft to a larger tanker. SpeciÞ c Coverage Marine insurers have developed marine general liability cov erage for a variety of business risks that are either exclud- ed or under-insured in GL policies. Marine general liability policies provide general liability coverage, and additionally property damage coverage for property in your care, custody and control. The c,c,c coverage sections of the policy can be titled Marina Operators, WharÞ nger Legal, Stevedores Legal, Terminal Operators Legal, among others. Again, the right questions must be asked in order to deÞ ne the proper policies. Is coverage limited to ships, or private pleasure-type water- craft, or marine cargoes? Is coverage marine operations spe- ciÞ c? Is coverage location speciÞ c?Quite simply, there is no blanket insurance coverage that protects everything equally. And that is not a bad thing. No business wants to pay for insurance coverage they do not need. Instead, their real aim is to buy insurance coverage that Þ ts their individual needs. For marine businesses, navigating the various insurance poli- cies can be like moving through murky water. It can be espe- cially challenging for businesses unfamiliar with maritime law that still signiÞ cantly guides marine operations. With the expe- rience they bring from servicing various marine operations and keeping a close eye on case law and legal precedent in marine coverage litigation, specialized marine insurance brokers and insurance carriers can provide some valuable guidance to as- sure insurance coverage Þ ts the operation and or work at hand. Because there are times that a ship may not be a ship, every business wants to be sure its insurance coverage is insurance cov- erage that is right, reliable, and appropriate to the expected risks. www.maritimeprofessional.com | Maritime Professional | 19MP #4 18-33.indd 19MP #4 18-33.indd 1912/11/2013 2:47:34 PM12/11/2013 2:47:34 PM
