A RIB is a rigid hull with inflatable tubes on a trailer, and it is precisely those tubes, the detachable motor and the transport by road that determine how the cover runs.
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In brief
A RIB combines a rigid hull of polyester or aluminium with inflatable tubes of Hypalon or PVC. For an insurer those are two different things. The hull is a structural part with a long life. The tubes are a wearing part. Glued seams come apart, the fabric hardens and fades under UV, and rubbing along a jetty or over trailer rollers leaves permanent marks. State the material and the year of build of the tubes when you apply. That statement forms part of your duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 DCC; if it is not correct, the insurer can later rely on Article 7:930 DCC professions.
The second feature is that a RIB rarely has a permanent mooring. The boat stands on a trailer at home, on a site or in a shed and goes into the water down a slipway. As long as the trailer is coupled to the car, damage to others is covered under that vehicle's liability insurance under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). That is liability, not own-damage cover: damage to the RIB itself while driving, and damage to the trailer, has to be arranged separately. Once uncoupled, the trailer falls outside the motor insurance.
A RIB falls under pleasure craft insurance. We record the hull, the tubes, the outboard motor and the trailer as separate items, so that when a claim arises there is no argument about which part is insured for what.
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Liability
Liability
Damage you cause to others with the vessel.
Collision and jetty damage
No legal obligation
Often required by the marina
The vessel itself
Own-damage cover
Damage to the boat, the engine and the fixed equipment.
Fire, storm and sinking
Theft
Collision and grounding
Extensions
Extensions
What you add separately.
Trailer on the road
Occupants
Salvage and wreck removal
What is covered
Situation
Liability
Own-damage cover
Damage to another vessel or a jetty
Yes
No
Theft of the boat or the outboard motor
No
Provided that
Fire and storm damage in the berth or ashore
No
Yes
Sinking through a leak or through rainwater
No
Provided that
Salvage and removal of the wreck
Provided that
Provided that
Osmosis, wear and deferred maintenance
No
No
There is no statutory insurance requirement for pleasure craft. The WAM applies only to motor vehicles. Marinas, harbours and hire companies do generally require liability cover. Pay attention to the sailing area described and to the lay-up or winter storage period: outside the sailing area or during undeclared storage, cover may lapse.
This overview is general in nature and is not personal advice. What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) of the insurer; you receive both before you take out cover. Taking out cover without advice? Then read what execution only means for you.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
The tubes stand apart from the hull in the policy conditions
The tubes are not part of the hull and are dealt with separately in many policies, sometimes with a different excess. A sudden tear from a collision or vandalism is covered. Glued seams coming apart, loss of pressure with no identifiable cause, hardening from UV and chafing damage along a jetty or trailer roller fall under wear and tear and gradual effects and are excluded. State the material and the year of build of the tubes, and have any retubing or repair recorded with us.
The outboard motor is detachable and therefore stealable
On a RIB the motor represents a large part of the value and is attached to the transom with clamps or bolts. Insurers therefore set requirements: an approved motor lock, a bolted-through mounting and sometimes a tracker. If the prescribed security is missing when a theft occurs, payment is reduced or refused. Declare the motor with its make, power and serial number; without a serial number, reporting the theft and tracing the motor is virtually hopeless.
A different regime applies on the trailer than on the water
A RIB spends part of the year on the road and on the driveway. Damage to others is then covered by the liability insurance of the towing car (Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM)), but only while the trailer is coupled. Damage to the RIB itself during transport is not covered by that and is covered on the boat policy only if transport by road is included. When the boat is stored at home, also ask about the requirement of a hitch lock and wheel clamp.
Launching, sailing in shallow water and the outdrive
A RIB is launched down a slipway and regularly runs onto a beach or a shallow. Damage to the propeller, the outdrive or the jet drive from touching the bottom is a recurring point of dispute: some policies cover this only where collision cover is in place and exclude operating errors and grounding. Damage that occurs while the boat is going onto or coming off the trailer also falls outside the afloat cover. Have it established in advance which of these situations are covered.
What does your premium depend on?
Power and type of drive. A powerful outboard motor or jet drive weighs more heavily than the value of the hull itself.
Material and age of the tubes. Hypalon and PVC age differently. Older tubes more often lead to a restriction.
Security of the engine and trailer. An approved motor lock, a bolted-through mounting, a tracker, a hitch lock and a wheel clamp.
Place of storage out of the water. A trailer on the public road, on a locked site or in a shed makes a difference to the underwriting.
Sailing area and use. Inland waters, coastal waters or use for diving and towing each fall into a different risk class.
Excess, including the one for tube damage. The tubes are often subject to a different excess alongside the one for the hull.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, your risk and your wishes.
We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
The tubes fall under the own-damage cover if they were declared when you applied, but under their own regime. Sudden damage from a collision, fire or vandalism is covered. Glued seams coming apart, loss of pressure with no cause and hardening or fading from the sun fall under wear and tear and gradual effects and remain excluded. State the material and the year of build and report any retubing, so that the sum insured is correct.
Is my RIB insured while it is on the trailer?
Partly. If you are driving with a coupled trailer, the car's liability insurance covers the damage you cause to others with it under Article 2 of the WAM. Damage to the RIB itself, to the motor or to the trailer is not covered by that. For that you need an extension on the boat policy for transport by road and for storage on the trailer.
What should I do if my outboard motor has been stolen?
Report the theft to us and to the police as soon as is reasonably possible. That duty to report is set out in Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code. Supply the serial number, the purchase invoice and photographs of the mounting and the lock. The insurer checks whether the prescribed security was present and in use. If it was not, payment can be reduced or lost entirely.
Is damage during launching covered?
That varies from policy to policy and on a RIB it is worth checking, because the boat often goes down a slipway. Some policy conditions start the afloat cover only once the boat is clear of the trailer, and exclude damage while it is going on and off. Damage to the propeller or the outdrive from touching the bottom on a shallow slipway regularly falls outside the cover.
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
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