Houseboat insurance through Nationale-Nederlanden

The hull is the whole risk

Steel hulls rust from the inside, concrete barges suffer concrete rot around the reinforcing steel. Both processes are slow and are therefore excluded as gradual action. What can be covered is the sudden consequential damage when water comes in. Have the hull measured periodically and keep the reports: without a recent measurement, the insurer will almost always ask after a sinking whether the defect was already known.

The superstructure, the contents and the vessel are three separate things

The hull cover relates to the hull and the superstructure. What is inside, from the kitchen to the bookcase, falls under a contents section with its own limit. Fixed alterations you have made yourself can fall between the two if they have not been reported. When taking out cover, list what is fixed and what is loose, and record it with photographs and invoices.

Mooring, jetty and utility connections

The jetty, the mooring posts and the connections for water, electricity and drainage are usually owned by the landlord or the local authority. If your boat damages them in high water or a storm, that is a liability matter. Check whether your policy has a liability section for the houseboat and whether the mooring tenancy agreement places liability on you for the parts you use yourself.

Where the cover stops

Almost always excluded are damage from rust, corrosion, concrete rot, woodworm and osmosis, damage from deferred maintenance of mooring equipment, and damage arising during work at a yard without that having been reported. Letting the houseboat to third parties and business use also fall outside the private cover. If you move the boat, report it in advance: transport over water is normally a risk to be insured separately.

Contents & equipment

Contents & equipment Insuring the contents and equipment as well.

Assistance on the water