Florida Boat Owner Sued by Underwriters in Federal Court Following Excursion Passenger Injury Aboard Salty Too
A coalition of marine insurance underwriters has initiated a federal maritime declaratory judgment action against Roger Haddix, a resident of Florida, seeking to void commercial vessel coverage following a passenger injury incident. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida under Case Number 9:26-cv-81132-EA, names Haddix and loss payee Stonemark Flooring, LLC as defendants. The underwriters claim they owe no duty to defend or indemnify the vessel owner after passenger Kyle Ingram allegedly suffered bodily injuries when an unsecured life raft dislodged from the flying bridge of the vessel Salty Too during a charter trip.
Underwriters Seek Declaratory Judgment to Void Commercial Marine Insurance Policy After Flying Bridge Life Raft Incident
According to the complaint filed by Accelerant Specialty Insurance Company, Hadron Specialty Insurance Company, Spinnaker Specialty Insurance Company, Texas Insurance Company, Palomar Excess and Surplus Insurance Company, and Lloyd’s Syndicates per UMR B0507GO2500002, the underlying incident occurred on or about May 24, 2026. Kyle Ingram was aboard the Salty Too, a twenty-nine-foot Island Hopper commercial dive and charter craft, when a life raft stored on the vessel’s flying bridge broke loose and struck him. The insurers received formal notice of the casualty on June 22, 2026, wherein the injured passenger asserted claims for past and future medical expenses, hospital bills, associated costs, and physical pain and suffering.
Marine Insurers Assert Breach of Express Passenger Liability Release Warranty Under Strict Admiralty Law Principles
Following the receipt of the injury claim, the underwriting group assigned Sedgwick to investigate the incident. Investigators interviewed Haddix and various crew members, discovering that Kyle Ingram and two fellow excursion passengers, Brandon Cannon and Heidi Ingram, had not executed liability waivers prior to boarding the vessel. Under the Commercial Yacht Insuring Agreement, Haddix expressly warranted that all excursion participants, whether paying charter guests or complimentary riders, must sign a mandatory Concept Special Risks release before any charter activity commences. Under governing maritime law and applicable contractual rules, express marine insurance warranties are strictly applied, meaning any failure to secure the required paperwork can void coverage from inception regardless of whether the lack of a waiver directly caused the flying bridge accident.
Allegations of Material Misrepresentation and Breach of Utmost Good Faith Under Established Maritime Doctrine
The federal complaint further contends that the vessel owner violated the ancient maritime doctrine of uberrimae fidei, which imposes a strict duty of utmost good faith upon an insured to disclose every material fact affecting underwriting risk. When submitting his charter renewal paperwork on March 11, 2026, Haddix affirmatively represented on a supplemental questionnaire that all passengers fill out and execute liability releases before stepping aboard the boat. The underwriters argue that this statement was materially inaccurate because multiple passengers embarked on the May 2026 voyage without signing waivers. Citing General Condition xvi of the policy, the insurers claim that this non-disclosure renders the policy void ab initio, asserting that no prudent marine underwriter would have bound the policy on identical terms had the actual operational practices been disclosed.
Legal Remedies and Declaratory Relief Sought in Southern District of Florida Maritime Coverage Dispute
Through this admiralty action, the insurers request a binding judicial decree establishing that the policy is void from inception, thereby releasing them from any contractual requirement to provide a legal defense or indemnification for the injury claims arising from the Salty Too excursion. The lawsuit emphasizes that commercial passenger vessels operate under rigorous safety mandates and explicit contractual obligations. While vessel operators must navigate complex insurance agreements, injured charter guests and maritime passengers face significant legal hurdles when pursuing compensation for life-altering accidents caused by loose shipboard equipment, defective fixtures, or crew negligence.
Passengers who sustain harm during offshore excursions, dive trips, or commercial charters due to falling gear, improper maintenance, or inadequate safety oversight have strong legal remedies under general maritime law. Commercial vessel operators and charter companies are legally required to maintain their craft in a reasonably seaworthy condition and exercise reasonable care to protect passengers from falling hazards and foreseeable trauma. If you or a loved one suffered severe harm aboard an excursion vessel or commercial charter, speaking with an experienced maritime injury lawyer can help clarify your rights against responsible vessel owners, operators, and commercial carriers.
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Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
