Insurance for singlehanders

[Jacket]

This summer I spent a couple of months singlehanding around Denmark. When I took out my insurance (with St Margarets) they told me that I would be covered. However, when the paperwork came through, it stated that I wasn't covered for singlehanding.

Unfortunately, this all happened a couple of days before I was due to leave, so I had no chance to look for a different insurer. Apparently the change in policy was due to Spetember 11th (A prize for anyone who can find a connection!). In the end I managed to negotiate 3rd party only cover, provided I didn't sail for more than 7 hours a day or at night, for a heafty increase in premium.

So for next year I'm looking for a new insurance company. Does anyone know of a company that is willing to cover singlehanders? Ideally I'd like 1st person cover, but more important is removel of the 7 hours a day/ no night sailing clause. While I try to stick to these, irrespective of what the insurers require, things can go wrong and a trip take longer than expected.

So, can anyone suggest a company, to save me days of phoning around every company and spending hours on hold listening to 'Greensleaves'?

 

[qsiv]

I use Pantaenius who do not have any arbitrary crew limits. Whats more they dont have mandatory rig inspection periods, and also on request chaged the cruising limits from Brest - Elbe to La Rochelle / Bergen. They also cover racing risks under the standard cover.

I havent ever needed to claim - but they have always been efficient when I have had equipment changes to log.

 

[bedouin]

I'll second that - Pantaenius are a very good company to deal with. Their standard policy has no exclusions relating to crew size, night hours, racing &c.

I have had to make a claim and they handled it very well.

 

[alex_rogers]

I'll third that. You might pay a little more with Pantaenius but they cover racing and singlehanded sailing with no limits on duration of passages and have always been very efficient.

Alex Rogers
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.YachtsAtSea.com> www.YachtsAtSea.com </A>

 

[tony_brighton]

GJW provide me with single handing insurance - some conditions around e.g. must have an alternate means of steering (via a recognised 'autohelm'). Think I'm also constrained on only doing daylight hours. But much cheaper than Pantaneus.

 

[Gazza]

I've had a good response from Haven Knox Johnston, both in respect of single-handed cover (only stipulation that "warranted" self-steering geat is fitted) and with a claim.

 

[pvb]

Most insurance excludes it...

Most cruising sailors would be horrified if they realised all the times they sail without insurance.

I was with Pantaenius for many years. Can't say whether they are good or not because I never had a claim. But they are very costly, and their requested renewal premium this year was so incredibly high that I decided to shop around. I often sail single-handed, but never very far or for very long, and sometimes this involves late-evening, overnight or early-morning sailing. To my astonishment, most insurers automatically exclude single-handed sailing between sunset and sunrise - making those late returns to the marina, or those early starts, uninsured. Of the many companies I contacted, the only people who were happy to give cover were GJW - but only if I spent £3000 putting a radar/plotter on the boat (so that's a "no" then). I also found that <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.craftinsure.com>CraftInsure</A> (internet only, advertised in YM) include night-time single-handing, debit the premium monthly from your credit card, and in my case were a third of the price of Pantaenius. Right now, I'm with CraftInsure, but I'm still looking around.

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: CraftInsure

Interesting, just went through their quick quote and it came out at about £250. With Haven K-J I paid £320 which cluded £75 (15odd years)NCD.
I might just revisit them when my renewal is due.

 

[Plum]

Re: Haven Knox Johnston

I am also with Haven Knox Johnston for the same reason. Their default policy does not cover single handing at night, but I spoke to them and they put in an amendment for cover at night providing I had a working autopilot and that the passage was not planned to be for more than 12 hours. Their price was also very reasonable.

 

[qsiv]

Re: Most insurance excludes it...

I'll grant you that Pantaenius are not cheap - but they do offer particularly good cover, have specific extensions if you go out of area and most importantly no daft exclusions on crew llimits and times. I too was shocked by the rises, but I couldnt find anyone who could gice equivalent cover at any price (and there was some money to play with as the premiom rose from £3000 to £4000 ish).

Also important is the insurance for guests.

As an aside I wonder what constitutes single handed? If I sail with my two boys (8 & 9) (even just to go to the beach) would that circumvent the wording in the policy? The reality is that they could never manage the boat by themselves - but I havent seen a policy actually identify any requirements for crew age/skill. Even with SWMBO on board I would still consider myself to be singlehanded, and run the boat boat with that in mind.

 

[chriscallender]

Re: Most insurance excludes it...

Interesting point, because with inexperienced "crew" members you actually have more responsibilities/things to watch out for than you would if you truely were single handed.

 

[qsiv]

Re: Most insurance excludes it...

Quite - on my tod I dont have to sort out games, food (so often), break up 'earnest exchanges' and so on. OTOH, the elder one likes to keep me company through part of the night watch, and to sleep in the doghouse - it's much easier to stay awake with someone around. Otherwise it's just the radio, and a clockwork kitchen timer that I wear as a necklace. WHat I realy want is a 'snooze' button linked to the GMDSS alarm - that would waken the dead!

 

[ianwright]

I'm insured through GJW Direct. They cover me for single handed sailing day and night, Brest to the Elbe. No extra charge except that my excess is £200 by day and £300 by night. I asked how would they know and they replied"We expect our owners to tell the truth as a Gentleman should."
My only claim has been for a lost tender. The cheque arrived before the claim form did.
I have no plans to change insurers.
The boat is a wooden gaff rigged Vertue.
IanW

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[Jacket]

Re: Most insurance excludes it...

My policy specifically states that there 'must be one other competent crew member on board.' Don't know how they specify competent, but I guess a 9 year old wouldn't qualify (then again, there's a few 9ish year olds in my club that can outsail many of the adults!).

 

[Spacewaist]

Craftinsure restrict insured values to £100k. NM

.

It rarely rains for longer than four hours........

 

[pvb]

Do you have radar? (nm)

 

[Opinionated]

Re: Most insurance excludes it...

Thanks for this most REWARDING of contributions. My renewal date was 24/11/02, and due to you, I am saving over £200!!
CraftInsure are underwritten by Navigators and General, so seem pretty safe - or am I kidding myself??



IMHO, of course.

 

[ianwright]

No radar,,,,,,,

,,,,,, just the 'normal' cruising stuff up to GPS, echo sounder, auto pilot and so forth.
Come to think of it I can't remember ever being asked about radar.
They will put the premium up, by £12, if I want to add the west (atlantic) coast of Ireland to my normal cruising area.. Also, though I doubt I'll ever go now (to old and fat and married) they advised me that a solo transatlantic trip could be covered!

IanW

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: CraftInsure Policy

I downloaded their pdf policy, but couldn't see anything on it about single-handing.
Is the 'quick quote' just to give you an idea of the cost, as there is nothing in that form to indicate to them the level of equipment on the boat.
Do you have to 'speak' to them by e-mail or phone to sort out the fine details, or do they send you a comprehensive proposal form?

 

[pvb]

Re: CraftInsure Policy

I e-mailed them to query single-handed cover, and they confirmed that there were no exclusions for single-handing.

There isn't really any fine detail involved in the proposal, it's all done online.