Insurance Rig Replacement Requirements

[Tim Good]

I asked my insurance company Y Yacht about their policy on rigging and replacements and specifically if a rig replacement was required, did this include turnbuckles or just the wire and terminal. Their response was refreshingly professional and pragmatic when too often insurance companies make excessive or unreasonably cautious policy requirements which don't account for boat use, type or crushing location.

Dear Mr Good, Your insurance policy does not stipulate that the rigging needs to be changed every ten years, because the underwriters assume that you are / will change your standing rigging when it is sensible to so do. When this should be depends on the type of rigging, age, use etc.

Our managing director owned several boats and always started changing his standing rigging after between 8 and 10 years. He changed the backstay one year, the forestay the next and the shrouds the next. If in doubt we recommend an inspection by a reputable professional rigger.