Accidents and medical costs
- Treatment after hypothermia
- Repatriation through the emergency assistance centre
- Racing often excluded
Open water · collision · your own equipment
Surf skiing and your insurance
A surfski is a narrow, fast sea kayak in which you sit open to the elements. Paddling itself is not a high-risk sport for insurers, but the water you paddle on and any racing determine your cover.
- several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Surfski en uw verzekering.
Calculate your premium or request a quote
Without obligation; a reply within one working day.
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 your own premium with the calculator.
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.
In brief
Surfskis are paddled on open water: coastal water, tidal inlets and downwind runs with the wind behind you. Capsizing is part of the sport, but a kilometre offshore it means hypothermia and drifting. For personal accident and medical cover recreational paddling is generally included as normal.
Two things do fall outside. Speed competitions are excluded on many personal accident policies, and the surfski itself is not baggage: vessels appear on the exclusion list of almost every travel policy. For the boat you need separate insurance.
What is covered in surfski?
Three strands: your body, your equipment and the damage you cause to someone else.
Boat, paddle and buoyancy aid
A vessel does not fall under the baggage cover on a travel policy.
- A separate pleasure craft policy
- Theft from a roof rack or trailer
- Wear is never covered
Liability on the water
The AVP has a separate arrangement for damage caused with vessels.
- Small boats often included
- Assessing collision damage
- The rules of navigation still apply
What is covered
| Situation | Standard | With extension |
|---|---|---|
| Medical costs after capsizing near the coast | Yes | Yes |
| Search and rescue costs at sea | Provided that | Yes |
| Taking part in a timed competition | No | Provided that |
| Damage to or loss of the surfski | No | Provided that |
| A collision with another water user | Provided that | Yes |
| Paddling beyond coastal waters or an ocean crossing | No | No |
What is actually covered is set out in the policy conditions and the insurance card (verzekeringskaart) that you receive in advance.
Where things go wrong in practice
Two points that lead to argument in surfski more often than the paddling itself.
The boat is not baggage and the race is not recreation
take out travel policies vessels and parts of them from baggage cover. In addition, personal accident cover generally lists mountain sports, air sports, deep diving and speed competitions as an exclusion; a timed surfski race falls under the latter. Report entry in advance.
In a collision, ordinary liability law applies
If you run into a swimmer or another boat, you are liable under Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code. The AVP covers damage caused with vessels only within a separate clause, in which rowing boats, canoes and sailboards are often included while motorised or larger vessels are not. Read that clause.
What does your premium depend on?
- Sailing area — inland water or open sea
- Recreational or racing — races are assessed separately
- Value of the boat — this determines the equipment cover
- Destination — the Netherlands or a distant coast
- Duration of the trip — a single trip or the whole year
- Sums insured — rescue and liability
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Is surfski a high-risk sport for insurers?
Recreational paddling generally is not; it does not appear in the exclusions on most policies. As soon as you paddle against the clock or go far offshore, the insurer may take a different view. If in doubt, ask for written confirmation.
Is my surfski insured while travelling?
Not through travel insurance: vessels fall outside baggage cover. Theft from the roof of the car or damage to the hull is insured through a pleasure craft or separate equipment policy. Wear is always excluded.
What if I collide with someone?
Then your liability insurance comes into play. It has a vessels clause under which small, unpowered boats are usually included. Check whether your surfski falls under it; an exception for length or engine can remove cover.
Does travel insurance cover a rescue at sea?
Often yes, provided you paddle within the policy conditions and call the emergency assistance centre. Rescue beyond coastal waters, during a crossing or during a race usually falls outside. Always call the emergency assistance centre first.
Read more
Similar pages
Do you paddle a surfski?
Have it established which policy covers your paddling area, your races and your boat at the same time.
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 written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.