This article says that they had no insurance. The comments at the end are telling too.
"These rescues are not at all an efficient use of our military and civilian resources," James said. "But the problem is, what happens if you don't do it? There's some real moral dilemmas involved in this. You can't just say, 'Well, you're a stupid idiot,' and let them drown. It would be pretty hard to justify that."
Before the advent of sat epirbs, if a sailor wanted to try this, it was all on him (or her.)
If they dismasted, they fixed a jury rig and sailed downwind to a safe port. (In Abbey’s case, Australia.) That was the expectation. Cut away the rig, erect a jury rig, and sail on.
In the EPIRB era, you don’t even cut away the rig, you just push the button, knowing that the Aussies will pay a million or two to rescue you.