Is Jones Act insurance a requirement by law?

[gillian59]

Is Jones Act insurance a requirement by law, similar to how Workers Comp is a requirement? I've asked this question to a number of companies that sell Jones Act insurance (maritime employers liability insurance) and never get a straight answer. I understand the liability issues, but if it's only myself and my business partner on the ship and neither of us will sue the company if something happens, do I still need to get a policy covering us?

Thanks for the help!

[chavivi]

Yes. It's maritime law. Jones act coverage gets endorsed onto a workers comp policy, just like USL&H coverage gets endorsed onto workers comp.

You cannot exclude yourself from coverage under the Jones Act. There's no way around it. You need that policy, or no other business will hire you or contract with you, or let you near their operations on the water.