Injury in the surf
- Treatment and transport on the spot
- Repatriation through the emergency assistance centre
- Report competitions separately
Surfing and your insurance
Most insurers simply include recreational surfing. Competitions, big waves and damage to your board are generally excluded.
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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
- 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
Most insurers place surfing in the normal risk class. Injury and medical costs are included under travel and personal accident cover. The danger lies mainly in the surf itself: your own board rebounding, a shallow sandbank or reef, and rip currents that pull you away from the shore.
There are clear limits nonetheless. What is usually excluded is taking part in competitions, surfing big waves with a tow-in behind a jet ski and surfing at spots closed by the lifeguard service. Your board is often insured as luggage, but not while you are surfing.
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What is covered in surfing?
Three elements determine your position: injury, liability and equipment.
Liability in the line-up
If your board hits another surfer, Article 6:162 DCC applies.
- Injury and damage to third parties
- Priority rules count towards the assessment
- Never admit liability yourself
Board and wetsuit
Insured as luggage, with restrictions for use and theft.
- Breakage in the water not covered
- Left unattended on the beach is excluded
- A hired board falls under care, custody and control
What is covered
| Situation | Standard | With extension |
|---|---|---|
| Medical costs after injury from your own board | Yes | Yes |
| Rescue from the sea by the lifeguard service | Provided that | Yes |
| Liability after a collision with another surfer | Provided that | Yes |
| Your board breaking while you surf | No | Provided that |
| Taking part in a surfing competition | No | Provided that |
| Surfing on a closed beach or under a red warning | No | No |
What is actually covered is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive in advance.
What does your premium depend on?
- Risk class of the sport: recreational surfing is normal
- Recreational or in competition: competitions attract a surcharge
- Destination. Europe, Morocco or overseas
- Duration of the trip: a short trip or a surfing season
- Insuring the equipment as well: declare the board and suit separately
- Sums insured: medical costs and repatriation
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 in practice
Two points that determine whether your policy pays after an accident in the surf.
Competitions and big waves fall outside
The standard exclusions on a travel or personal accident policy are mountain sports off the beaten track, air sports, deep diving and speed contests. With surfing you mainly run into the competition exclusion. Big-wave surfing and tow-in behind a jet ski are also named separately as extreme sports.
Theft and breakage of your board are two different things
Baggage cover excludes sports equipment while in use: a board that breaks in the surf is not luggage damage. Theft is sometimes covered, but not if the items were left unattended on the beach. Report damage straight away, as Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Does surfing count as a risk sport?
Recreationally, usually not. With most insurers, surfing ordinary beach breaks sits in the normal class. It is different with big-wave surfing, tow-in behind a jet ski or surfing over a reef in a remote area; those forms are often named separately in the exclusions.
Is my surfboard insured while travelling?
As luggage, often yes, with a maximum per item and usually only against theft or damage in transit. Breakage while surfing falls under the exclusion for sports equipment in use. Ask whether your board has to be declared separately.
Who pays if I hit another surfer?
Your liability insurance, if you acted unlawfully within the meaning of Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code. In sporting situations a higher threshold applies than in traffic. Report the incident and leave the assessment to your insurer.
What if I surf while the beach is closed?
Then you run into Article 7:952 DCC: damage caused by recklessness is not covered. If you ignore a red flag, a closed beach or an express warning, the insurer may refuse the payout.
Every situation is different. For these situations we have a separate page.
- Travel insurance with or without cancellation coverThe main page
- Funboarding and your insuranceSailboard, open water, collision
- Ice hockey and your insuranceContact sport, competitive play, dental damage
- Husky sledding trips and your insuranceSled dogs, polar regions, hired equipment
- Gaesterennen and your insuranceSki race, timing, competition exclusion
- Tijgeren (belly crawling) and your insuranceObstacle run, mud, skin and eyes
- Hydrospeed and your insuranceWhite water, float board, difficulty class
Read more
Are you going surfing?
Have it confirmed before you travel what is arranged for yourself, your liability and your board.
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.