On a sailing boat a large part of the value sits in the mast, the rigging and the sails, and those are exactly the parts that are valued differently and excluded differently from the hull.
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In brief
On a sailing boat the rig is an item in its own right: mast, boom, standing rigging with terminals and spreaders, running rigging, furling systems and the sail wardrobe. If you do not declare these separately with their age and type, a claim often results in payment for the hull alone. Sailcloth is a consumable as well. Insurers apply depreciation on sails by age, and a sail that tears while you are sailing is generally only covered if the tear results from a covered event such as a collision, a lightning strike or a capsize.
With a dismasting the cause is always examined. Corrosion in terminals, fatigued wires in the standing rigging, a missing clevis pin or rigging that is too slack come under inherent defect and deferred maintenance and are excluded; so have the rigging inspected periodically and keep the reports. Consequential damage to the deck, rudder or hull may well be covered. Report a rig failure as soon as reasonably possible: that obligation is set out in Article 7:941 DCC, and acting against your better judgement can affect the cover through Article 7:952 DCC.
A sailing boat comes under the pleasure craft insurance. We record the rig, the sail wardrobe, the sailing area and any racing as separate items of information.
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.
Declare sails and rigging separately
Many policies show only the value of the vessel. The sail wardrobe, a roller headsail, a lazy bag, the spinnaker and the running rigging are not automatically included. Name each sail with its year and material, so that the insurer does not fall back on a standard payment for the hull when you claim. Take account of a depreciation table: older sails are paid for by age, not at replacement value.
With a dismasting the cause counts, not the bang
A mast going over the side is spectacular, but the cover depends on what started it. If a terminal breaks through corrosion, a clevis pin works loose or the rigging was too slack, that is inherent defect or deferred maintenance and no payment for the mast itself follows. Consequential damage to the deck and hull may well be covered. Have the standing rigging inspected periodically and keep the report with your policy.
Racing has to be declared in advance
Under sail in a race, the boat is pushed harder, sailed closer and kept going longer than on an outing. Insurers treat that as a different risk: club races are sometimes included, but regattas, offshore races and training for them are often excluded. Declare your participation before you enter. If you do not, the insurer can invoke the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 DCC.
The keel, running aground and winter ashore
A sailing boat draws more than a motor boat and therefore goes aground sooner. Damage to the keel bolts and to the hull around the keel root is not always visible after a grounding; have it surveyed after every contact with the bottom. In winter there is being ashore as well: damage during craning, a cradle toppling over or a mast in the mast rack is by no means always covered, and frost damage to an engine that has not been drained is excluded as standard.
What does your premium depend on?
Type and age of the rig. Mast, standing rigging and furling systems together account for much of the repair cost.
Declared value of the sail wardrobe. The number of sails, their age and their material count separately from the hull value.
Length, draught and year of the vessel. Draught partly determines the risk of grounding and the cost of salvage.
Sailing area. Inland waters, the Wadden Sea, coastal waters or open sea each carry different requirements and exclusions.
Taking part in races. Club races, regattas and offshore races are assessed separately or excluded.
Winter storage and mast storage. Afloat, ashore with the mast stepped, or the mast in a rack all make a difference to the cover.
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.
Only if you declared them separately with their year and material. If they are not on the policy, a claim generally results in payment for the hull alone. Bear in mind too that insurers depreciate sails by age and that a sail that tears or blows out over time counts as wear and tear. What is covered is a tear resulting from a covered event, such as a collision or a lightning strike.
Is a dismasting covered?
That depends on the cause. If the mast breaks through a collision, a lightning strike or a storm that counts as a covered event, there is cover. If the cause lies in corrosion of a terminal, fatigued standing rigging, a missing clevis pin or rigging that is too slack, the insurer speaks of inherent defect or deferred maintenance and the payment for the mast falls away. Consequential damage to the deck and hull may still be covered.
May I race with my insured sailing boat?
Not without declaring it. Club races are included with some insurers, but regattas, offshore races and the training for them often appear as an exclusion in the conditions. Declare your participation before you enter, so that the insurer can assess it or exclude it. If you conceal it, the insurer can invoke the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code when you claim.
Am I insured while the boat is ashore in winter?
Usually yes, but on its own terms. Report where the boat is stored and whether the mast comes out. Damage during craning, from a cradle toppling over or to a mast in the mast rack is by no means always covered and sometimes falls under the marina's liability. Frost damage to an engine or pipework that has not been drained remains excluded as standard.
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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