Liability
- Collision and jetty damage
- No legal obligation
- Often required by the marina
Boat insurance
Boat insurance is a collective term: the cover you actually get is determined by two separate building blocks and by the basis of valuation you choose between them.
- 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
The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert.nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.
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
Boat insurance consists of two sections that you can choose separately. The liability section covers what you cause to others with your vessel: a collision, damage to a jetty, injury to someone who ends up in the water. The own-damage section covers your own vessel. Neither is compulsory by law, but almost every marina requires at least the liability cover before you are given a mooring.
What you are paid after a loss depends not on the section but on the valuation arrangement. With market value the insurer works with the value at the date of loss and therefore with depreciation. With a fixed agreed value the amount is set in advance and binds both parties under Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code. Some policies also have a replacement-as-new arrangement for the first years after purchase.
The third thing that counts is what you state when you apply. Material, type, engine power, mooring and sailing area together determine which conditions apply. An incorrect or incomplete statement affects your duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code, with the consequences of Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code. If it concerns a specific type, see sloop, sailing boat or houseboat.
Independent, personal, sorted quickly
We compare your pleasure craft insurance across dozens of insurers, explain where the real differences lie, and arrange the switch from start to finish — without you having to chase it yourself.
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What does boat insurance cover?
The structure of the cover in three parts, 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.
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.
What does your premium depend on?
- Sum insured and basis of valuation. The amount for which you insure and the question of whether that is on market value or on a valuation together form the basis of the calculation.
- Type and material. An open sloop, a cabin sailing yacht and an inflatable boat each have a different pattern of damage and therefore a different assessment.
- Engine power and speed. The faster the vessel goes, the greater the likelihood and the extent of collision damage.
- Sailing area. Inland waters, the Waddenzee, coastal waters and areas abroad are each weighed separately and appear literally in the policy.
- Mooring and winter storage. A supervised marina or a shed is a different matter from a public jetty or a driveway beside the house.
- Excess and claims history. A higher excess lowers the premium; earlier claims can raise it.
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.
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 in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
Liability and own-damage cover are separate choices
You can insure liability only and carry the own-damage risk yourself. The other way round is not possible, because almost no insurer offers own-damage cover without liability. For an older vessel of limited value, liability only is often a defensible choice, because the amount you can owe another vessel after a collision is far higher than the value of your own boat.
The basis of valuation determines the payment
Market value, a fixed agreed value and replacement value as new lead to different amounts for exactly the same loss. With market value the surveyor establishes the value only after the event, which is difficult on a vessel that has sunk or burnt out. A valuation report removes that discussion but costs money and has a limited period of validity. When you receive a quote, always ask specifically which basis it contains.
Declare what you actually sail and where
Sailing area, mooring, engine power and use are the questions on which the insurer bases its underwriting. If the answer is not correct, the insurer can rely on Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and the payout under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code to reduce or refuse payment. If something changes during the term, for example a heavier engine or a different marina, report it.
Three exclusions that come back everywhere
Wear and tear, deferred maintenance and gradually operating influences are covered nowhere. That is not small print but the core of what sudden damage means. In addition, sailing outside the agreed sailing area falls outside the cover, including for damage that has nothing to do with the location. And hire or commercial use without declaring it means you no longer have a pleasure craft policy.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is boat insurance compulsory by law?
No. Unlike a car, a pleasure craft is not subject to compulsory insurance. When it comes to it you will rarely avoid it: marinas, municipal moorings and berth operators almost always require at least liability cover and ask for evidence of it. It is also asked for regularly for taking part in events or for a marina abroad.
What is the difference between market value and a fixed agreed value?
With market value, the surveyor determines after the loss what the vessel was worth at that moment, depreciation included. With a fixed agreed value, that amount has been set in advance by an expert and binds both parties. A valuation costs money and has to be renewed periodically, but it prevents discussion at the moment when the vessel is no longer there.
Is own-damage cover worthwhile on an old boat?
That depends on what you can bear yourself. If the value of the vessel is low and you would not replace it if it were lost, liability only is often enough. The liability risk, by contrast, is always substantial: a collision with an expensive vessel or injury to someone on board is entirely unrelated to the value of your own boat.
When do I have to report a claim?
As soon as is reasonably possible. That follows from Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code. If you report late and the insurer's interests are harmed as a result, for example because the cause can no longer be established or recovery from a third party is no longer possible, they may reduce the payment. Photograph the situation before you have anything repaired.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Compare pleasure craft insuranceThe main page
- Compare exclusive yacht insuranceValuation, sailing area, crew
- Insuring a yacht and motorboatOwn-damage cover, sailing area, winter storage
- Insuring a yachtValuation, sailing area, crew
- Insuring a polyester boatOsmosis, maintenance, valuation
- Insuring a wooden boatMaintenance, valuation, rot
- Insuring an aluminium boatMaterial, corrosion, valuation
- Pleasure craft insuranceOwn damage, liability, sailing area
- Sloep insurance: cover and sailing areaOpen boat, engine, mooring
Ready to compare?
Request a quote without obligation. We will look at which insurer best matches your activities and your risk.
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. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.