NMMA and NICB Partner to Develop New Boat Identification Database
FROM: NATIONAL MARINE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
231 South LaSalle Street, Suite 2050
Chicago, IL 60604
NMMA and NICB Partner to Develop New Boat Identification Database
WASHINGTON, D. C., August 14, 2012 –The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) have initiated the first national database of vessel information. Similar to vehicle identification numbers, this new collection of boat manufacturing data can be used to assist in boat identification, helping to deter and prosecute crimes involving recreational boats.
According to the NICB, each month more than 500 vessels are stolen in the United States costing boat owners and their insurers millions of dollars annually. In turn, boat thieves often sell these stolen vessels to unsuspecting consumers for a large profit. This database will enhance the efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), law enforcement personnel and the NICB to prevent, detect and report potential marine thefts and insurance fraud and at the same time protect boaters.
Before the creation of the database, law enforcement had to contact the particular boat manufacturer to verify craft information. Now, this new tool will streamline the access that law enforcement officials and insurers have to important identification information. The database will also serve the USCG in their work to accurately report and record on-water accidents. Boaters themselves will benefit from this improved system of data collection, allowing for faster vessel recovery in cases of theft.
The data that NICB is collecting from boat manufacturers includes the hull identification number (HIN), brand, model, year, length and other identifying factors. Some records may also contain component serial numbers, which can further assist law enforcement and the NICB with vessel identification. The database is currently live and ready for manufacturer participation. It is imperative that boat manufacturers participate and share information that will directly assist officials in thwarting thefts, reporting them when they do happen and collecting more accurate data in order to identify stolen boats.
NMMA’s role included a Memorandum of Understanding with NICB, working jointly to move the project forward to completion. Supporters of this endeavor include Brunswick Boat Group, Grady-White Boats and Forever Resorts, which generously volunteered to help define the best data for inclusion in the database and to beta test the program for NICB.
NMMA President Thom Dammrich says, “It’s critical that boat manufacturers participate in this program. Ensuring that our law enforcement officials are efficiently able to track boats based on this new identification system will not only help deter thefts, but it also allows us to collect important data on a boat to thwart future crimes.”
To contribute your boat model information, contact [email protected]. For questions or media inquiries please contact Lauren Dunn at 202-737-9752 or [email protected]. For more information about the database, read the info-sheet here. To register for a webinar on September 20, 2012 about the project click here.
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About NMMA: National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry in North America. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. For more information visit www.nmma.org.
About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: Headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $339 billion in insurance premiums in 2011, or approximately 80 percent of the nation’s property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 94 percent ($156 billion) of the nation’s personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.