Solo sailing cover?

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Reading through my insurance policy last night, I was surprised to see that there must be 2 competant crew on board when sailing, and 3 when crossing the bay of Biscay.
Is this a common insurance clause? or would it be easy to get this changed at a reasonable extra cost? as I do sometimes go solo though not very far, ie always inshore.

 

[ebbtide]

Try Bishop Skinner - not cheap but they deliver what's wanted, both singlehanded cover AND prompt claim settlement.

 

[damo]

A common item for discussion here - so find an insurer that does give cover. Anyway, I believe that singlehanded inshore is probably more risky than being away from the rocks and traffic. And three's a crowd....

 

[Searush]

Talk to them, argue your case, they may be able to change at little or no cost. I told my company I was often solo & they accepted it with only the stipulation that I did not set out to sail solo if a night passage was anticipated. But I'm only in Irish Sea. It helped having 25 years with only 2 claims, one for a mooring strop breaking in a storm & one for vandalism while on a mud berth.

 

[damo]

What if a night passage happens that wasn't "anticipated"?

I wouldn't do a fraction of the sailing I do if I couldn't singlehand at night - some magic passages this summer, with dolphins playing in phosphorescent water around the boat, brilliant displays of meteorites, and one rough night when I would have preferred it to have stayed dark after seeing the seas in the grey light of dawn /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[ditchcrawler]

I have recently obtained quotes as my insurance is up for renewal.I specified cover for night sailing & single handing.Three of the quotes covered what I asked for without a problem.I was quoted a bigger excess to cover single handing at night although I do not do this(I hope).

 

[Pye_End]

Mine was fine for single handed except night passages (although sailing into the night did not seem a big problem. Changed it this year to include single handed through the night, which was fine although the excess was raised a bit.

First thing to do is ask your insurance company. If you get no joy then there will no doubt be somebody who can accomodate you.

 

[weaver_fish]

You might be able to negotiate with them if you don't mind them changing the excess when you are singlehanded.

That's what my co did

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Thanks all for your good advice, I will contact my insurers first and see if they will alter the policy.
Cheers, C_W

 

[Searush]

[ QUOTE ]
What if a night passage happens that wasn't "anticipated"?

(cut)

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I asked & they said it's OK as long as it wasn't deliberately pre-planned. For example, If I set out on a long passage planning to use the engine if the wind died, but the engine didn't start, then It was OK to carry on sailing into the night. It would be a bit difficult to do anything else really, so they were simply applying commonsense. Bit of a shock that really. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Conachair]

I'm with bishop skinner who i must say seem very good. But they wouldn't cover me for biscay singlehanded.

 

[Spyro]

Navigators and General cover single handed but only on passages of less than 24 hrs.

 

[rhumlady]

Another vote for Bishop Skinner. Also allowed me to let a good friend use the boat for the weekend as long as I am happy with their experiance.