Personal Insurance

[kalindi]

I have booked a passage on yacht from Plymouth to Vilamoura later this year. However it is a condition of the booking that I have insurance cover for emergancy evacutaion from the boat and medical expenses. This sort of cover seems relatively easy to get if you are a UK resident but I am finding it quite difficult to find a company to cover me as I live abroad. Does any one know of an company that will offer that kind of cover to a UK national who is not resident in the UK.
Any advice greatfully received. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[captainslarty]

Lie through yer teeth

 

[tobble]

Ah the, omnipresent liveaboard dilemma.... can you 'borrow' someone's address? E.g. my driving licence is registered to my parent's address.

 

[BlueChip]

Have you tried Pantaenius. I have annual worldwide travel cover with them and it specifically mentions cover while sailing. Might ne worth a call to see if they will cover you

 

[Sailfree]

[ QUOTE ]
I have insurance cover for emergancy evacutaion from the boat and medical expenses.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure you would get anyone to cover this risk while at sea. If you are looking for emergency medical cover while in port then there is an policy called RYA travel policy available through Bishop Skinner.

Beware of annual and other travel policies they only cover you for "normal" holidays and a condition of the claim is that you produce your booking form/airline tickets. Completely exhausted this one after many telephone calls that insisted I was covered say if sailed on own boat to France but ALL backed down and referred question up the ladder when I asked for that in writing. End result you are not covered.

As others have said use a UK address c/o.

 

[Aeolus]

Don't know if they have a problem with non-residents but I had insurance for a similar trip with
http://www.direct-travel.co.uk

Very reasonably priced and very good about paying up when I made a claim (fortunately not for being rescued mid-Biscay).

 

[Richard10002]

try www.snowcard.co.uk they cover all kinds of hazardous sports and the cover gets you off by helicopter if necessary - dont know how they treat non residents.

Have you tried the country where you live?

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
Lie through yer teeth

[/ QUOTE ]We had to make a claim last November and they (AXA) wanted proof of absolutely everything. If they find you have made false declarations at best they don't pay out AND they put you on an international blacklist, at worst, they take legal action as well.

Our claim was 100% proper but it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life dealing with the insurer's agents who are paid on performance - i.e. no-pay. Really bad news, and while I got my full pay-out I now self-insure (i.e. don't use travel insurance at all).

Anyway there are so many exclusions on anything health related you'll be lucky to get a payout and if evacuated by air might be faced with paying the full costs (£10s of thousands /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)

 

[Anonymous]

direct-travel use AXA see my post above. They used to define 'resident' as 'being registered with a UK GP' which we were so that included us despite the fact that properly we should have de-registered according to NHS rules. I think they've changed the definition now.

 

[BlueChip]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have insurance cover for emergancy evacutaion from the boat and medical expenses.

[/ QUOTE ]

Beware of annual and other travel policies they only cover you for "normal" holidays and a condition of the claim is that you produce your booking form/airline tickets. Completely exhausted this one after many telephone calls that insisted I was covered say if sailed on own boat to France but ALL backed down and referred question up the ladder when I asked for that in writing. End result you are not covered.

As others have said use a UK address c/o.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not true - Pantaenius specifically mention boating cover in my policy.

 

[kalindi]

Thanks for all the comments. It seems that Pataenius might be a good bet as they do have international offices. The French companies that I have contacted dont seem to want to know at all. Out of interest dog tag in the uk do offer travel insurance for off shore sailing and did provide an email stating that they would cover the cost of emergancy rescue if their underwriters thought it necessary. I am not sure how you have that conversation from a yacht at sea in the middle of a storm with the underwriter in a calm office in London though.

 

[Anonymous]

Can you let us know what you find out? When I investigated Pants (I insure the boat through them) the firm they use for travel insurance (-i.e. the health, theft of personal possessons when off the boat, etc.) did not insure non-residents and we did not qualify as residents under their definition. They might have changed, of course but you need to read the small print very carefully.

 

[Sailfree]

You missed the point I was making.

Only specific sailing related travel policies will cover you - as yours does but general travel insurance sales types will mislead applicants to get sales but when the crunch comes these policies are only for travel by conventional means.

 

[Aeolus]

---------------------------------------------------------------
Only specific sailing related travel policies will cover you - as yours does but general travel insurance sales types will mislead applicants to get sales but when the crunch comes these policies are only for travel by conventional means.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Not true - some, e.g. Direct Travel, do cover sailing and did cover my cross-biscay trip. But always important to read the small print carefully.

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
But always important to read the small print carefully.

[/ QUOTE ]That is so true. They will use any excuse or tiny hole to wriggle out of paying and grind you down in the process of trying to find that hole. You need to know when claiming that you are correct, whiter than snow, and be determined to win! Nil desperandum carborundum.