Insurance Needed for Rescue ?

[andreas.mehlin]

What happens if à boat and its crew is in need of a rescue? Will the crew be responsible for the cost of the rescue, or their Insurance company? Is it the same if Any get sick and is in need of transport?

[Simes]

This will depend upon a few variables. When you say "Rescue" are you in Distress? or just in need of "Urgent" assistance? The difference being that Distress means that "There is a Person, Vessel Aircraft of Vehicle in grave and imminent danger and in need of Immediate assistance" and Urgent does not require "Immediate Assistance". Most maritime nations around the world will call out to a genuine Distress call free of charge. However there are good number of nations that will charge for an Urgent call out.
It is possible that your vessel insurance company will pickup the cost of recovery, check the small print in your policy.
I always insist that crew have travel insurance and that it covers medical assistance and re-patriation. You will find that most sea schools and charter companies recommend this.

Here in the UK the RNLI will always come out free of charge, just across the English Channel in France the majority of Life Boat are privately owned and do have the ability to charge.

Simes