Boat insurance requirement in Greece. Am I legal?

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cynthia

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A boat in Preveza marina has now been told, by the port police, who state they are now responsible for the marina (??), that it is necessary for insurance cover of €500,000 third party liability, €150,000 stranding liability and €150,000 pollution liability to have legal cover in Greece. My GJW policy does not currently cover these amounts as I have €300,000, €150,000 and €90,000 respectively.
Are the Preveza port police correct? Is my insurance legal in Greece?
Hoping to launch on Friday and would like to know I don't have the mither of contacting my insurance company.
By the way the PP also told our friend he didn't need his cruising log stamped as he had a stamp less than a year ago and it only it only needs stamping once a year.

Confused in Preveza.
 
I'm also in Preveza. My insurers have said it will take a week or so for the underwriters to sort out the new requirements and re-issue cover note.
Suggest you contact yours.

John
 
They are correct. The new insurance limits were defined in law 4256/2014 which came into effect on 14th April 2014. The relevant section is Chapter G, Article 14, subsection 4bb (as follows).

bb. Ships of total tonnage smaller than 300 gt are obliged to have insurance for:

i) civil liability for bodily harm or death of the passengers and third parties because of collision, crash, sinking or any other cause. The insurance sum is fixed to fifty thousand (50.000) euros per passenger and cannot be less than five hundred thousand (500.000) euros per event.

ii) civil liability for material damage of the passengers and third parties because of collision, crash, sinking or any other cause. The insurance sum is fixed to one hundred and fifty thousand (150.000) euros.

iii) Cause of sea pollution. The insurance sum is fixed to one hundred and fifty thousand (150.000) euros.

b. The insurance contract is drawn up in Greek or English.
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The same law also only requires a DEKPA stamp once per year.
 
Thanks everyone, have contacted GJW and hope I get the relevant documentation in Greek prior to our launch on Friday. Excellent information as always.
 
All praise to GJW who have sent me an updated document within 15 mins of my original request. Looks as if this new Greek legislation needs wider publicity though!
 
The third party cover required seems incredibly low. Most UK marinas require several MILLION pounds of third party cover (mine requires £3,000,000 and is pretty much middle of the road). Given the potential size of a third party claim, I'd be very unhappy being insured for less. For example, the well-known yacht "Drum" sails out of our marina; if I T-boned her, I am pretty sure it would cost a substantial amount to fix her - and as she's chartered commercially, there would be loss of use charges while she was being fixed. There are also commercial vessels, for which the cost of dry-docking and loss of use will come into 6 figure numbers per day. Yes, I only have a 31' yacht - but something like 5 tons concentrated in a steel stem-head fitting hitting a steel plate square on at several knots will still puncture it.
 
The Greek laws cover minimums to be covered. They don't represent the full cover available under most insurance policies; mine for example covers up to £3,000,000 third party liability. Just waiting to hear from my brokers on getting a revised Endorsement now; we were going to leave tomorrow but that may have to wait a day....
 
duncan99210 said:
The Greek laws cover minimums to be covered. They don't represent the full cover available under most insurance policies; mine for example covers up to £3,000,000 third party liability. Just waiting to hear from my brokers on getting a revised Endorsement now; we were going to leave tomorrow but that may have to wait a day....
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Yes, it's the Greek minimums that the law specifies. My policy (from Wehring & Wolfes) covers me for up to €6 million but on the back where the main terms are spelled out the Greek language section specifically quotes the old Greek minimums. I've asked for an updated copy with the new minimums specified in the Greek section just to be on the safe side.
 
The law says that the contract can be in Greek or English. So if in the English section the minimums are covered, you are OK.
 
Some years ago, think it was 2005, I cleared in at Mandraki, Rhodos Island.
The officer asked for the ships insurance. I had the policy and the receipt of payment, but not the “Greek “ form. It was pre internet, had to have the form faxed to Greece, cost a fortune on telephone to get the “Specialist” in Holland on the line. Fax did not come, new attempt, Phone home.
After a week I had the paper, showed it to the officer, he looked at it from far, Ok.
Been curious, I asked the man why I had to go trough all that trouble, and what he did with all the yachts on the floating visitors pontoon. I knew all of the liveaboards there, most had no insurance at all.
Well he said, it is simple, I can´t ask them for that form because they have no insurance, can I.....
Things have changed.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
The third party cover required seems incredibly low. Most UK marinas require several MILLION pounds of third party cover (mine requires £3,000,000 and is pretty much middle of the road). Given the potential size of a third party claim, I'd be very unhappy being insured for less. For example, the well-known yacht "Drum" sails out of our marina; if I T-boned her, I am pretty sure it would cost a substantial amount to fix her - and as she's chartered commercially, there would be loss of use charges while she was being fixed. There are also commercial vessels, for which the cost of dry-docking and loss of use will come into 6 figure numbers per day. Yes, I only have a 31' yacht - but something like 5 tons concentrated in a steel stem-head fitting hitting a steel plate square on at several knots will still puncture it.
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Do not confuse the legal minimum required by Greek law and demanded in a statement separate to your insurance policy, with the actual cover given by your insurers.
My brokers have just e-mailed the latest Greek "cover note", my policy has a 3rd party indemnity limit of £3million. That is the equivalent of €3.63million.
 
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duncan99210 said:
Just been to the PP in Ag Nik and they weren't interested in the cover limits on my insurance, just the dates. However, they did want to see my marina receipts to prove I was paid up to date: first time I'd been asked for this.
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Hello Duncan,

Dread thrift I am afraid. Are you in Agios Nikolaos? I will be there in 3 days toy check out a vessel. Can you PM me??
 
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