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Ext. 3rd-Party Insurance for Skippers

Extended skipper liability insurance for private skippers

As a skipper of a yacht, you bear a high degree of responsibility towards the crew, the guests, and the boat's owner. Both your competence and your sense of responsibility are prerequisites for your job. Therefore, we consider taking out an extended skipper's liability insurance to be obligatory for you.

While all others are relaxing and enjoying the trip, you must stay focused and alert. With a clear head, you can make quick decisions in precarious situations. Still, these decisions can also have severe consequences in some cases. The sea has laws, and you cannot influence human error by third parties as the responsible skipper.

Boats and yachts are usually covered by liability insurance. Nevertheless, it frequently happens that a yacht liability or fully comprehensive insurer does not pay out in some instances, or the cover sum or the scope of the contract is insufficient. Therefore, take out the extended skipper's liability insurance from EIS European Insurance & Services LLC.!

Table of contents

What is skipper liability insurance?

Why is liability insurance for skippers advisable?

Which damages are insured?

What is not covered by the skipper's insurance?

Skipper insurance: costs at a glance

What is skipper liability insurance?

If you negligently cause damage to persons or property, you are liable for your present and future assets. If you already have private liability insurance, it does not cover claims that may arise during your activities as a skipper on a charter. As a rule, all water sports activities are excluded by insurers. An example: You charter a yacht for your holiday and want to sail off the French Atlantic coast as a skipper. In an accident caused by gross negligence, some of your fellow crew or passengers are injured, and the ship is damaged. In this case, your private liability insurance does not apply, and your assets would now be at stake. But when you have taken out the EIS extended skipper's liability insurance for the trip, it will settle the claims following the conditions up to the specified amount of cover.

Why is liability insurance for skippers advisable?

As a skipper, you are responsible for the safety of your crew members, other passengers, and the ship. First, of course, you must prove that you can do this by obtaining an inland or sea license, depending on the waters you are navigating. But even experienced skippers can make mistakes with fatal consequences. Have you chartered a boat for private purposes and been told it is covered by liability insurance? We recommend that you never should rely on such a statement! Often, these insurances only cover small sums of money, which at best regulate minor damages. Since you are solely liable as the skipper in the event of damage, to protect your private assets, and because you can enjoy your trip without any worries. Please take out the extended skipper's liability insurance at EIS. It's better to sail with a feeling of safety.

Which damages are insured?

The extended skipper's liability insurance covers the legal liability of the insured person arising from the private, non-commercial operation of chartered/foreign sailing and motor yachts. The sum insured is EUR 3,000,000 or EUR 6,000,000 lump sum for personal injury and property damage and an additional EUR 100,000 for financial loss. The yacht liability and fully comprehensive insurance are always obliged to pay for the damages in advance so that the skipper liability insurance always pays subsidiarily. In addition, the following are regarded as co-insured:

  • damage to the chartered yacht in the event of proven gross negligence up to 550,000 EUR
  • deductible in the event of damage of 2,500 EUR
  • Liability claims of the entire crew among each other up to 3,000,000 EUR or 6,000,000 EUR
  • in the case of property damage, if the amount increases by 150 EUR per loss event, security deposits up to 50,000 EUR in the event of seizure in a foreign port
  • claims by the owner for loss of charter income as a result of significant yacht damage for which the skipper is responsible up to 20,000 EUR. The primary policyholder proportionally borne the costs for the first three days caused by the loss of charter income.
  • 1.000 EUR in case of interruption of the cruise due to damage which makes the return trip impossible due to the yacht's lack of navigability for hotel and travel costs to the base

What is not covered by the skipper's insurance?

The following damages, among others, are not covered by the extended skipper's liability insurance. The complete list can be found in § 2 of our extended skipper liability insurance conditions.

  • liability claims that go beyond the scope of legal liability
  • damage that you suffer yourself
  • damage that you cause intentionally
  • liability claims arising from damage that occurs during participation in sailing regattas or motorboat races or during the associated practice trips, as not expressly agreed in the policy
  • damage to your own or borrowed property or objects or persons living in the same household as you: in particular damage to the chartered yacht, its accessories, and equipment as well as tenders, provided that the damage to the chartered boat was not caused by gross negligence
  • damage caused by you to certain close relatives
  • liability claims arising from damage caused by the improper handling of flammable or explosive substances
  • driving a watercraft if an official permit is required and the operator in charge does not have the official license when the insured event occurs
  • damage in connection with valuables (jewelry, watches, furs, cash, credit cards, securities, etc.) and electronic devices

Skipper insurance: costs at a glance

The premium for our extended skipper's liability insurance is well-structured and very inexpensive for the scope of insurance included. As you can see from the table, three criteria lead to the corresponding rate: the desired sum insured, the type of yacht chartered and its length.

Sailing yachtsMotor and Sailing yachts
Sum insured3.000.000€6.000.000€3.000.000€6.000.000€
up to 10m length65€77€72€88€
over 10m length90€110€115€130€

We charge an additional one-off policy fee of EUR 15,00 including the legal insurance tax.

Skipper insurance charter – the most important questions and answers

The freedom of operating a boat or yacht is one of the best feelings for amateur skippers. If you don't possess your ship, you have the opportunity to charter yachts of various sizes in many places around the world. Liability insurance for skippers is vital to ensure that you are adequately covered on your trip. Below you get the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about our product.

Where am I insured?

EIS European Insurance & Services LLC provides coverage as your firm and experienced partner with an A-rated insurer.

Does the insurance cover apply worldwide?

The skipper insurance for charters applies worldwide but for cruise-related insurance only for the charter cruise named in the policy application. Please note: the extended skipper liability insurance does not cover loss events related to the USA and Canada.

What do I need to know in the event of a claim?

You can reach our claims department around the clock, seven days a week, at the telephone number +49 (0)30 214 082 20 or via the e-mail address claim@eis-insurance.com. You can find information about reporting a claim and what to do in the event of a claim here.

When does the insurance for skippers begin and end?

Both the start and end of your skipper's liability insurance can be found in your policy. As a rule, this is the period of your booked charter trip.

How can I cancel my skipper insurance for charter?

All trip-related insurances for skippers and annual contracts without requested automatic renewal end automatically at the end of the term, so you do not have to cancel. However, suppose you have chosen the automatic renewal of an annual contract. In that case, at the latest, you can terminate the skipper's liability insurance up to three months before the end of the agreed contract period. You can also remove the insurance after a premium increase and after the occurrence of an insured event.

How can I get more information on skipper liability insurance?

We are happy to help you! Call us Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at +49 (0)30 214 082 0 or send us an e-mail at info@eis-insurance.com.

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