insurance outside of Europe

[Catweasel]

heya.

i am struggling to find an insurance company that will insure me for my upcoming trip (UK to Med to Africa and on or America and on).

I have tried Panteanius and Navigator and General and both have stated they will only insure me in European waters.

Is this a common occurance? How do I get insurance for the Americas or the "Africas"?

thanks in advance for your time,

Catweasel AKA Tim

 

[KellysEye]

It is a fairly common experience if you don't have the necessary sailing experience or a boat that is below a certain value. It might be worth asking them why they turned you down.

 

[charles_reed]

heya.

i am struggling to find an insurance company that will insure me for my upcoming trip (UK to Med to Africa and on or America and on).

I have tried Panteanius and Navigator and General and both have stated they will only insure me in European waters.

Is this a common occurance? How do I get insurance for the Americas or the "Africas"?

thanks in advance for your time,

Catweasel AKA Tim

As you're so coy about your boat, antecedents or experience it's impossible to hazard an opinion.

All I can say is that I've had no problem in obtaining (mainly) single-handed cover from underwriters, including one you mention, for the areas you specify.

 

[Catweasel]

sorry for the vagueness (am new and still feeling my way around)

it's a contessa 26, I have limited* experience but by the time I get down to that neck of the woods I'll, obviously, have a heck of a lot more.

I'm tryin to understand insurance requirements. Marinas I get, and in busy sea-lanes insurance limits my financial liability but if I don't want to break any laws so what happens if i just sail the straits with no insurance and I get stopped and checked?

Where do I look to find out about open water insurance requirements?

*will have logged about 80 hours as crew and about 8 hours as skipper before I leave

 

[TQA]

No need to have insurance to sail anchor and use some marinas/boatyards in the Caribbean and USA, lots of people don't. However I think at least one Med country requires insurance.

However quite a few marinas and yards do ask to see your insurance before you get to use their facilities.

 

[Tranona]

You may find it easier to get just third party insurance which is all marinas in Europe ask for. The difficulty with your situation is your experience (lack of) and low value of your boat. Look at from the point of view of the insurer - would you take on that risk for the sort of premium a person like you would be prepared to pay.

Just to give you an idea how much premiums rise with perceived risk, my insurance to cover being based in Corfu and cruising Med and Atlantic coast back to UK was nearly 50% higher than just based in UK - and I have 35 years insurance history with just 2 minor claims. They also required a full crew for crossing Bay of Biscay.

 

[KellysEye]

Pantaenius allows two handed long distance sailing provided both of you have suitable experience.

 

[dratsea]

And by the time you get to the edge of your area your experience will have increased ten fold and you may be able to cover the next bit of your journey. Might be worth looking through Liveaboard as I remember a thread about insuring round world section by section, simplistically cover for atlantic and pacific more than for atlantic or pacific alone but it is only at Cape Horn that you can be in both places at the same time (and do not even think about asking to get insurance to go round the Horn!

If, having enjoyed a season in Europe, the insurance is still a problem then from memory the draft of a 26 is only 4ft and you would have no problem reaching the med through canals and of course would have even more experience, and hopefully a no claims discount.

Finally well worth talking to a specialist yacht insurance broker, Topsail are great:

http://www.topsailinsurance.co.uk/

We have used them for years and many thanks to Robert for the beer at this year's LBS.

 

[alteredoutlook]

Insurers are a right pain!!

We did the atlantic circuit a few years back. They wouldnt insure us for a bay of biscay crossing with just a crew of 2 - but were more than happy if we went around the French and North Spanish coast - far more dangerous lee shores!

We extended our cover to include the carribean - however when we were returning some 9 months later in the Azores the renewal occurred. I rang up and told them where we were. Apparently, we were 'out of our area' - it seems that they were only insuring us one way across the atlantic. They also wanted an additional £250 premium for the 13 day run back to 'home' waters. Needless to say we returned uninsured.

So my advice when asking about insurance is - be careful and be very explicit about what your requirements are!!

Best of luck