Single Handed Insurance

[BelleSerene]

I told my insurers [GJW] that I would be doing some singlehanded sailing but probably only day-sailing. The amended wording came back as "restricted to daylight hours only".
Not quite what I meant but technically correct.

So did I, also with GJW. The cost increase was zero. Later, I asked about night time as I needed it solo. They agreed, and again there was zero cost increase (but as JumbleDuck observes, the excess doubles if sailing solo outside daylight hours). No restriction to 18 hours’ passage.

The moral of the story is: ask the insurer. If you don’t like the answer, ask another one.

 

[Triassic]

Anyone with a "daylight hours" restriction in their insurance should be aware of what it means. It only means from official sunrise time to official sunset time, which is rather less than the actual daylight.

May I ask where you sourced that information from? The common interpretation of daylight hours is when there is daylight, as in not dark. The Road Traffic Act defines it as half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, I'm not aware of a marine equivalent.

 

[SteveSarabande]

Anyone with a "daylight hours" restriction in their insurance should be aware of what it means. It only means from official sunrise time to official sunset time, which is rather less than the actual daylight.

Good for single handed artic trip

 

[pvb]

Good for single handed artic trip

 

[pvb]

May I ask where you sourced that information from? The common interpretation of daylight hours is when there is daylight, as in not dark. The Road Traffic Act defines it as half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, I'm not aware of a marine equivalent.

If there's a "daylight hours" clause or endorsement in the policy, it will usually be defined. Admiral Yacht Insurance, for example, won't pay out for singlehanded use at sea "between the hours of sunset and sunrise local time".

 

[lpdsn]

May I ask where you sourced that information from? The common interpretation of daylight hours is when there is daylight, as in not dark. The Road Traffic Act defines it as half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, I'm not aware of a marine equivalent.

The IRPCS, which are passed into law in each country, define day as sunrise to sunset (see Rule 20). That ties up with the common interpretation in maritime circles, so quite reasonable to assume that's what the insurance company mean unless they state otherwise. If in doubt ask.

 

[lpdsn]

Good for single handed artic trip

In summer.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Good for single handed artic trip

Only if you have an HGV licence.

 

[Bilgediver]

The time of year has some where I am looking to renew my insurance. So far I am very happy with my current insurance company as they do allow 24 hour single handed sailing, but wanted to test the market and a bit surprised when one company, who is often recommended on here, had a single handed limit of 18 hours - even Roscoff in that time is a bit keen for me.

I am looking for an insurance company who will cover the geographic area of Brest in the south, the Faroe Islands in the north, the Norwegian coast in the east and Rockhall in the west for voyages that last more than five days. Longer term this area will increase south and west to cover the Atlantic.

Any recommendations?

Sometimes it can pay to speak to your insurers. They seem to have reservations about both the length of a single handed passage and also night sailing. Sometimes you can mutually find a solution by a agreeing to a higher excess either regard to length of passage or night sailing to the extent you find a solution that you are happy with.

 

[LittleSister]

Many years ago (1990s) I changed to Pants as they were the only ones offering cover for the sort of sailing I was doing - often single handed, sometimes Plymouth-Roscoff, Scillies, etc., and loved night sailing. (Some I'd enquired wouldn't even cover me cross-channel even multi-handed as my 22 footer was 'too small'.) Pants was more expensive % wise, but it still wasn't a great deal of money, and I was happy to pay to get the sort of cover I wanted. Later, however, they upped their minimum boat value and my boat was too cheap for them!

Some of my subsequent insurers had daylight, or maximum time, restrictions on single handing, but on enquiry clarified that I would be covered if I did a voyage that was expected to be completed in daylight/time, but force of circumstances kept me out longer.

I don't think I've any such restrictions on my current cover with Y Yacht Ins. (I must check!).

I haven't had any claims in several decades, but I don't think any insurer has ever asked!

 

[[70521]]

Sometimes it can pay to speak to your insurers. They seem to have reservations about both the length of a single handed passage and also night sailing. Sometimes you can mutually find a solution by a agreeing to a higher excess either regard to length of passage or night sailing to the extent you find a solution that you are happy with.

I'll need to talk it over with a couple of insurance companies and happy to do so. Through this post and the same post in a few FaceBook forums, and personal discussions with people I know I've identified two companies that offer single handed sailing to periods greater than 24 hours. I just need to work things through with them.

If I ever win the Lottery and able to purchase my dream boat I wonder if anybody would ever insure a single handed non stop circumnavigation?

I have resisted naming companies publicly as I do not want to damage anybody's reputation in the market place.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have resisted naming companies publicly as I do not want to damage anybody's reputation in the market place.

I fail to see how it damages reputation!!
What it would do is make it easier for other forumites in the same situation as you to find an insurance company to suite them far quicker, or to make their own decisions alongside the experience of others. That is one of the main benefits of a forum- is it not

 

[[3889]]

No reason not to do 18 hour+ passages without unlimited singlehanding cover. I self insure for the rare occassions I need or want to X channel (up to 21 hours) and plan the trip accordingly.
I previously used GJW but felt their lack of consequential loss cover outweighed the advantages of single handed cover.

 

[[70521]]

I fail to see how it damages reputation!!
What it would do is make it easier for other forumites in the same situation as you to find an insurance company to suite them far quicker, or to make their own decisions alongside the experience of others. That is one of the main benefits of a forum- is it not

My day job is fairly litigiousness, therefore I prefer not to name companies in a public forum.

 

[[70521]]

No reason not to do 18 hour+ passages without unlimited singlehanding cover. I self insure for the rare occassions I need or want to X channel (up to 21 hours) and plan the trip accordingly.
I previously used GJW but felt their lack of consequential loss cover outweighed the advantages of single handed cover.

I my bank balance would not cover a major claim should I "self insure".

 

[[3889]]

I my bank balance would not cover a major claim should I "self insure".

And will it cover the loss of your boat from a failed seacock, because GJW won't whereas Y insurance will.

 

[Daydream believer]

No reason not to do 18 hour+ passages without unlimited singlehanding cover. I self insure for the rare occassions I need or want to X channel (up to 21 hours) and plan the trip accordingly.

So what happens when you arrive at a marina ,tired & make a mistake berthing & hit another boat & do £ 2k worth of damage?

It is easy done & I assume that you will be quite happy to fork out .

 

[BelleSerene]

And will it cover the loss of your boat from a failed seacock, because GJW won't whereas Y insurance will.

Could you explain that? Presumably your consequential-loss point. I wrapped some fisherman’s net around my prop and it resulted in a lift-out and, later in the season, gearbox replacement. GJW covered all that, which was a consequence of the prop wrap. Is there some type of consequence that they don’t cover and others do?

 

[LadyInBed]

So what happens when you arrive at a marina ,tired & make a mistake berthing & hit another boat & do £ 2k worth of damage?

Don't go straight to Marina, go to anchorage then go into marina after a kip

 

[lpdsn]

Could you explain that? Presumably your consequential-loss point. I wrapped some fisherman’s net around my prop and it resulted in a lift-out and, later in the season, gearbox replacement. GJW covered all that, which was a consequence of the prop wrap. Is there some type of consequence that they don’t cover and others do?

It's to do with the failure of a component which has a hidden defect. Pants & Y Yachting will cover for the consequential damage which is a major selling point for them.

Unless you were trawling then the fisherman's net is not a component of your vessel.