You are pretty successful at catching fish.  Looking to be your own boss and do what you love. Your love of the water and spending time with many types of people has you believing you can make a life out of fishing. Obviously, you understand the currents and how to catch a lot of fish.  How to get your tackle to do exactly what you need in order to catch fish. TO GET STARTED YOU NEED THESE 5 THINGS: 1. FIRST YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR A US Coast Guard captain’s license. http://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=054-09&category=captains-license-info This is a legal requirement to operate the... Continue Reading →

Summer officially begins this week.  And Charter Lakes Marine Insurance wants you to have a safe and enjoyable experience while you are out on the boat. Summer time means: boating, fishing, beach getaways, picnics, baseball games, golf and just getting outdoors. Exposure to the UV rays can be very dangerous. Those dangers are magnified while on the water. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 3.5 Million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year and on the rise.  90% of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to the sun’s UV rays. If you love being on the... Continue Reading →

As the weather warms up, many of us head to lakes, rivers, or the ocean to fish, waterski, cruise, and relax onboard a boat, yacht or other personal watercraft. With nearly 12 million registered recreational boats in the U.S.*, it’s no wonder the waterways are a popular place to go. But, before you head out with friends and family, take note of a few important safety tips. 1. Make sure everyone wears a life jacket. Victims drowned in approximately 80% of fatal boating accidents. Of those, 83% were not wearing a life jacket. Insist that your crew and guests all... Continue Reading →

2018 Hurricane Season begins June 1st.  What is your Plan? We hope everyone takes the best precautions they can to protect their property, and then best to just head away from the storm path if you can to protect yourselves and your family.  If you don’t have a plan, now is the time to put one together.  If you have a plan, now is a good time to review the plan. This is also a good time for us to remind everyone and provide you with the best information we can with regards to protecting your boat from damage. As... Continue Reading →

This Memorial Day we at Gallagher Charter Lakes honor the memory of those brave Americans who have stepped forward, put on the uniform of our nation, heroically fought to defend our freedoms, and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can breathe as free people.  Let us never forget their service, sacrifice, and dedication to liberty.  God Bless these heros!   Continue Reading →

With the unofficial kick-off to summer arriving this weekend, many are planning long days on the boat. It’s surprising that in some states as much as 50% of boats for pleasure use are not insured.  (#uninsured #underinsured) So today, we are going to discuss some points to ponder. Boat insurance is more than covering your $2,000 - $10Million dollar vessel in case of a total loss.  There are agreed value policies and actual cash value policies.  Ask your agent the difference. What happens if you injure someone? I’ve seen it twice, another boat doesn’t see the skier in the water.... Continue Reading →

10 things to review in your boat / yacht policy with your agent Know your policy and work with a licensed insurance agent that knows and understands the nuisances of a boat policy. Be an informed policy holder and know what's in the policy... you are paying for the coverage. There are obviously more than 10 things involved when evaluating a boat policy.  Spend time with your agent to become knowledgeable of your coverage.  This list comes from insureds while speaking with claims adjusters and while speaking with agents at the time of acquiring insurance. Agreed Value:  An agreed value... Continue Reading →

Hiring the right marine surveyor There are a lot of boats for sale right now and it seems there are a lot of folks out looking to get into boating this year. Anyone who has owned or purchased an older boat probably knows the pains of survey requirements. It’s one of the catch 22’s of owning an older vessel, and it’s often a tough pill to swallow in an all but otherwise enjoyable process.  You know the boat is in good condition so why should you have to pay somebody to tell the insurance company what you already know? The... Continue Reading →

Gallagher Charter Charter Lakes announces their Sales and Marketing Director David Graham   David joins Gallaher Charter Lakes in the Grand Rapids, Michigan office. He brings with him over 20 years of sales and marketing experience. Including many years with Foremost Insurance.  David has worked in the field selling, leading sales teams and as a small business owner training companies on sales and leadership. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. And a long time boat owner that loves fishing with his sons. Continue Reading →

Spring has finally sprung.  Many seasonal “Skippers” are itching to get their boats in the water.  That means all the preseason checks on land.  Oil, fuel, battery, cleaning, put the plug in… Verify your license, registration and insurance are all current. Memorial Day is just around and the corner and for those in the North, that kicks off the unofficial summer boating season.  We all are hoping for warm sunny weather.  What can go wrong? As you load the SUV/Truck/Car;  the cooler full of deliciousness.  Hitch up the boat. Did you inspect the trailer: Inspect the tires!  Look for cracks... Continue Reading →

Hey guys and gals We just wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year and big Thank You for your business! If you are not a current customer, give us a try! We have many specialty marine insurance carriers we work with and can typically find you a boat insurance policy with better coverage and a lower premium. Thanks again! Team Charter Lakes Continue Reading →

Claims service should be one of your primary concerns when purchasing any boat or yacht insurance policy. After all, isn’t that the reason you’re buying the policy in the first place?  Here at Charter Lakes we believe claims service is the value behind any marine insurance agency and the policies they sell.  Not to toot our own ‘ships whistle’, but proof is in the pudding as they say, so we thought we would share a few recent email comments from our clients who had to make a boat insurance claim…. “I can’t thank Charter Lakes enough for everything they have... Continue Reading →

The words “total loss” probably bring a few situations to mind: convincing your wife it’s logical to spend your entire savings on an around-the-world fishing adventure, or your efforts at becoming a decent golfer. Sometime near the tenth round of golf lessons, you realized that your slice is never going to correct itself and maybe there is a hobby out there much better suited for you, with much less frustration involved. Unfortunately, in the watercraft insurance industry, the conclusion is not always so cut and dry, since many factors can have an effect on the determination whether your boat accident... Continue Reading →