1. True, I have noticed the same, ships are far more likely to sink (collision, hurricane, ...) when they are not insured. However repairing them every time they drop below 80% usually keeps them safe except for the bigger ships, see point 2.
Don't forget that it's often more important to insure your cargo than your ship...
2. Bigger ships (bulk freighters, passenger ships) are more likely to collide than even large freighters. Definitely insure those ships and perhaps their cargo as well!
3. No idea about time deposits.
However buying shares can generate some income while you're saving up for a new ship and you don't use the cash to buy cargo. Suppose you have $ 10 million that you don't use but you need 40 million to buy the ship you want. This means that you can speculate with those $ 10 million for the entire time it takes you to save up the other $ 30 million. Get an advisor ($ 80,000 per month) then buy stock that's nicely going up. Even with costs and all deducted you can have a net interest of a few % per month. It's not huge but it helps a bit in the early stages of the game.
But yes, the profit to be made on the stock market is negligible compared to the money you make off trading.
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A sickened, sensitive shadow writhing in hands that are not hands, and whirled blindly past ghastly midnights of rotting creation (Nyarlathotep, H.P. Lovecraft)
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