Attention crewmembers and owners: “Ask questions.”

That’s the biggest piece of advice that Mark Bononi, the director of the luxury-yacht division of MHG Marine Benefits, gives to crew and their employers when inquiring about health-insurance plans. Insurance is something many of us would prefer not to think about, but should. And in the marine world, where you’re constantly traveling and in situations that are far from ordinary land-based experiences, it’s vital.

In this podcast, Bononi discusses how MHG understands yacht-specific situations and helps find plans to meet those needs, whether for individuals or full crews. In addition, given the U.S. Congress’ ongoing debate over a national health-care bill, he reveals how regulatory issues can affect coverage for crew of all nationalities.

Whether a yacht charters or is strictly for private use, oftentimes the guests will want to experience something exceptional. It might be an after-hours tour of a museum or shopping experience, for example. Then there are seemingly mundane but crucial tasks like ensuring a spare part flown in from overseas can make it through customs.

The list of items to address when it comes to a superyacht goes on and on. Unfortunately, the duties are sometimes placed squarely on the shoulders of the captains and crew, who already have a long list of regular duties to prioritize.

That’s where yacht-service agencies come in, like BWA Yachting. BWA works with yacht-management companies as well as captains and owners to assist them with their various needs. These include the VIP concierge services mentioned above, but also things like provisioning, berthing, fueling, and even bank transactions. After all, the global nature of the business and of the cruising seasons mean that the yachts are constantly moving in and out of different countries. In this podcast, Stefano Tositti of BWA Yachting explains more about what his agency does and, equally important, how it stays on top of changing rules and regulations in the varying countries in which it operates.