Insurance for boats

Insurance for boats has been compulsory
on the inland waterways in Britain since 1996.

The requirement is for 3rd Party cover to the value of £2,000,000. That may sound like a scary number, but you can obtain 3rd party only insurance for around £70.

Most boat owners opt for fully comprehensive insurance. This is not especially expensive in what is a fairly competitive market. The size of premium is dictated by the value of the boat, and of course can increase if you seek to cover more than basic contents. Many policies offer contents cover as a percentage of the boat’s value. They may also not cover items unless they are on the boat. So cameras, bicycles and so forth may not be covered if they are stolen, damaged or lost when you have them elsewhere. If own a property, then these items are probably best covered by adding them to your home contents cover. If you live on your boat then you need to look for a policy that provides with the level of cover that you feel comfortable with. Some insurers offer policies specifically tailored for people whose boat is also their home.