Boatowners—Marine Life Exclusion

We have a boatowners insured. The policy insuring the boat is not an ISO form, but we hope you can help us in interpreting a question of coverage. Not long ago, the insured arrived at the lake where his boat is kept to find that something, probably a muskrat, had chewed a hole in the boat.

The insurer has denied the claim, citing an exclusion of loss or damage caused by marine life.

Is this correct?

Wisconsin Subscriber

Although the intent of the language may be to exclude such a loss, that is not what the words actually state. “Marine” means “of or relating to the sea.” A muskrat is an aquatic animal, but not a marine animal. Possibly the intent here is to exclude damage done by, say, barnacles, which attach themselves to boat hulls. If, however, the underwriter wishes to exclude damage done by animals in general, then the policy language must be clarified.

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