Liability
- Collision and jetty damage
- No legal obligation
- Often required by the marina
A RIB on the pleasure craft insurance
A RIB combines a rigid hull with inflatable tubes and usually a powerful outboard motor. Those three elements determine where the cover runs into trouble: wear of the tubes, theft of the motor and the sailing area.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
This page in another language: Nederlands
Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
- Independent advice
- Several insurers
- Switching arranged
- Help with claims
In brief
The liability cover pays for damage you cause to others with the RIB: a collision, damage to a jetty or injury to someone on board another craft. That cover is not compulsory by law, but marinas, slipways and foreign authorities almost always ask for it. Because a RIB is generally fast, this section weighs more heavily than on a slow boat.
The own-damage cover pays for damage to the boat itself: the hull, the tubes, the console, the seats, the instruments and the outboard motor. Within that, the tubes form a separate category. Insurers pay for them only after a covered event such as a collision or a fire, often with a deduction for age. Tears, leaking seams and discolouration from sunlight and use count as wear and tear and remain at your expense.
You set the sum insured on the basis of the purchase value or a valuation report. A valuation under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code makes the amount binding for an agreed term. State the outboard motor separately with its make, type, power and serial number. See also the general pleasure craft insurance.
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What does insurance for a RIB cover?
Three components that you choose separately, with an overview per situation below.
Own-damage cover
Damage to the boat, the engine and the fixed equipment.
- Fire, storm and sinking
- Theft
- Collision and grounding
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.
What is actually covered, including exclusions, limits and the excess, is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive before you take out cover.
What does your premium depend on?
- Insured value: purchase value or valuation
- Engine power and speed: heavier engines weigh heavily
- Age of the tubes: determines the deduction
- Sailing area: inland waters, coastal waters or abroad
- Security and storage: an engine lock and an enclosed site
- Type of cover and excess: liability only or own-damage cover as well
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and 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.
Why arrange it through Finass Verzekert?
We look at the terms as well as the premium, and stay your point of contact when there is a claim.
Independent
We are not tied to one insurer and compare on the basis of an objective analysis of several companies.
One fixed adviser
You call or email someone who knows your file. No menu options, no changing call centres.
Switching without hassle
We cancel your old policy and align the start date, so you are never a day without cover.
Help with claims
We report the claim and monitor how it is handled. In urgent cases you can reach us on the emergency line.
9.5New policy
9.8Claims handling
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.
Where things go wrong with RIBs
Four points that determine whether the policy actually pays out in the event of a claim.
The tubes are the exception in the own-damage cover
A leaking tube is rarely covered without qualification. Insurers generally pay for the tubes only where the damage results from a covered event, such as a collision, fire or vandalism, and then apply a depreciation for age. Tears, seams that have become porous, glued joints coming apart and discolouration from sunlight fall under wear and tear and remain at your expense. Keep a record of the year of build and the maintenance history of the tubes. When a claim arises, those determine how much is left after the deduction.
The outboard motor is the theft risk
A detachable motor is the most frequently stolen component on the water. Insurers therefore cover theft subject to conditions: a certified motor lock, mounting with security bolts and storage on a locked site. If those requirements are not met, no payment follows, even though the motor appears on the policy. State the make, type, year of build, power and serial number, and keep the purchase invoice. If you replace the motor with a more powerful one, report it: power is both a premium factor and an underwriting condition.
Sailing area, speed and races
The policy schedule states where you may sail: for example inland waters, or a wider area including coastal waters and abroad. If you sail outside it, there is no cover, not even for liability. RIBs are often used both on inland waters and at sea, so check that description. Pleasure craft capable of more than 20 kilometres per hour are also required to have the small craft boating licence; sailing without that licence is an exclusion. Taking part in speed races or training for them is excluded as standard.
Storage, transport and your own obligations
A RIB is often kept on a trailer. Damage during transport by road is not automatically covered. Some insurers include it within the area of cover, others ask for a separate module. During the trailer itself is never covered by the boat policy. In the winter storage a lay-up period with limited cover applies; frost damage because the motor has not been drained is not paid for. Wear and tear, corrosion and deferred maintenance are covered nowhere. Damage caused deliberately or recklessly is excluded (Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code); state the use and mooring correctly (Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code) and report a claim in good time (Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code).
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Are the tubes of my RIB covered as well?
Only where the damage results from a covered event, such as a collision, fire or vandalism, and then with a deduction for age. Leaks from ageing, porous seams, glue coming apart or sun damage fall under wear and tear and are excluded. When you take out the policy, ask what the depreciation table for tubes looks like; that is where the biggest difference between providers lies.
Do I need a boating licence for a RIB?
For pleasure craft capable of more than 20 kilometres per hour, or longer than 15 metres, the small craft boating licence is compulsory. Most RIBs with a powerful outboard motor fall under this. If you sail without the required licence, that is an exclusion on almost every policy and the insurer does not have to pay the own-damage claim.
Is the outboard motor automatically covered against theft?
No. The motor has to appear on the policy with its make, type and power, and security requirements apply: a certified motor lock and mounting with security bolts. Storage on a locked site is often required as well. If that security is missing, no payment follows. Keep the serial number and the purchase invoice with your policy documents.
Am I insured during races or training?
Generally not. Taking part in speed or handling competitions and training for them is excluded as standard. A few insurers offer a separate arrangement, usually with restrictions and a higher excess. Declare this use when you apply; reporting it afterwards does not work, because when a claim arises, what was in the policy at that moment is what counts.
What applies during transport and winter storage?
Damage during transport on the trailer is not automatically covered. That varies from policy to policy. You insure the trailer itself separately or through the trailer cover on your motor insurance. During the lay-up period, cover remains limited to fire, storm and theft, and frost damage because the motor has not been drained is excluded.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare pleasure craft insuranceThe main page
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- A tender on the pleasure craft insuranceOwn-damage cover, tender, sailing area
- An aluminium boat on pleasure craft insuranceOwn-damage cover, corrosion, sailing area
- A sailing boat on the pleasure craft insuranceOwn-damage cover, rigging, sailing area
- Insuring a SkybootOwn damage, liability, sailing area
- Insuring a RIBOutboard motor, theft, trailer
Read more
Is your RIB properly insured?
Request a quote without obligation. We check the sailing area, the engine power and the depreciation arrangement for the tubes.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.
About our service
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.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
This page was compiled by Finass Verzekert (LinkedIn). Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.