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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
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
A polyester hull consists of laminate with a gelcoat over it as a water-resistant finish. As long as that gelcoat is sound, the laminate stays dry. If hairline cracks appear or moisture works through, moisture enters the layers of laminate and blisters with an acidic content form. That process is called osmosis and it is the textbook example of gradual damage: no insurer covers it, and no insurer covers the treatment either.
Polyester also has the property that damage from the outside looks different on the inside. In an impact against a quay wall the gelcoat can remain almost intact while the laminate beneath it has come apart. That delamination is covered, provided it is clear that it comes from an identifiable event. So after a collision always have a surveyor look at it, even if you can see nothing on the outside.
On a second-hand vessel the pre-purchase survey is your most important document. A moisture reading of the laminate shows where the vessel stands and prevents you from carrying an existing problem into a new policy. What you knew at the time of purchase falls under your duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code. See also insuring a wooden boat.
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.
Osmosis is not sudden damage
Blistering in the underwater hull develops because moisture works into the laminate over years. That is by definition gradual and therefore excluded, even if you discover the blisters only when the vessel comes out of the water. The cost of an osmosis treatment, of grit blasting, drying and rebuilding the layers, is not eligible for payment either. This is maintenance, not damage.
Gelcoat damage is often purely cosmetic
Crazing, discolouration and chalking of the gelcoat from sunlight are wear and tear and fall outside the cover. A single deep scratch from an identifiable event can be covered, but many policies apply an excess for that or an exclusion for damage that causes no loss of function. Ask in advance how your insurer treats cosmetic damage. The difference between providers lies precisely on this point.
Delamination: consequence or cause
After a collision or a hard grounding the laminate can have come apart internally without your seeing it from the outside. If you report that only a season later, it can no longer be established whether the event was the cause. So report it at once under Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code, have the vessel sounded or examined with moisture readings, and record the findings in writing.
What the survey records counts in the underwriting
A survey report with moisture readings in the laminate determines how the insurer assesses the vessel and whether a clause is added. If you know at the time of purchase that osmosis is starting and do not disclose it, that affects your duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and the insurer can reduce the payment when a claim arises, under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code. Simply send the report with your application.
What does your premium depend on?
Insured value. For common polyester production models a market value is available, so market value is applied more often than a valuation.
Year of build and condition of the laminate. Older hulls and higher measured moisture readings lead to additional conditions or to a restriction of cover.
Permanently afloat or not. A vessel that stays in the water all year runs a greater risk of taking up moisture than one that stands dry every winter.
Engine power and speed. A fast planing hull takes more pounding, which increases the risk of internal laminate damage.
Sailing area. Use in salt water and longer distances on open water weigh more heavily than sailing on an inland lake.
Excess and claims history. Earlier hull damage or an osmosis treatment already carried out are taken into account in the underwriting and the premium.
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.
No. Osmosis is a process that unfolds over years and therefore does not meet the requirement of a sudden, unforeseen event. Its treatment and any consequential damage stay outside the cover too. Insurers regard it as maintenance of the underwater hull, comparable to keeping up the antifouling or replacing anodes.
Do I have to declare an osmosis treatment that has been carried out?
Yes. A treated underwater hull says something about the history and the condition of the laminate and is therefore relevant to the underwriting. Send the report and the yard invoice with your application. If you conceal it and it comes to light later, the insurer can rely on the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and adjust the payout.
Is a crack in the gelcoat covered?
That depends on the cause. Fine crazing over a large area is a sign of ageing and is therefore excluded. A crack that demonstrably resulted from an impact or a falling object does fall under the own-damage cover, but often with an excess that comes close to the cost of repair. For damage with no consequences for strength, some insurers apply a cosmetic restriction.
Can I still get own-damage cover on an older polyester boat?
You can, but above a certain age insurers almost always ask for a recent survey report with a moisture reading of the laminate. On the basis of that they decide whether to accept the risk, whether to add a clause and on what basis of valuation to insure. Without a report, in many cases only liability cover remains.
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.
