Can anyone name the countries they've been to where boat insurance was not required?

[dusblo]

Originally Posted by Zzmeyer

Mexico requires liability insurance issued by Mexican company. Whether a marina asks for it doesn’t mean it is not a requirement

As far as I know it's not absolutely nessesary to make use of a marina because most places will allow you to drop anchor in a sheltered bay or even in a river that connects to the ocean although I might want a bigger 100 or 200lb anchor for more secure anchoring. Of course I would still seek out liability insurance regardless but as I previously mentioned some people can't keep their insurance when they go across an ocean and my main concern is being able to check in to a port of entry without insurance and after a long ocean passage.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by Zzmeyer

Mexico requires liability insurance issued by Mexican company. Whether a marina asks for it doesn’t mean it is not a requirement

+1

Unless things have changed since Covid, Mexico (the country, not any business entities therein) requires liability insurance on all boats. This is similar to the requirements for automobiles in many countries (including Mexico). And, as Zzmeyer says, it must be written by a Mexican company. IIRC we’ve only ever been asked at our port of entry, I don’t recall producing the certificate for any of the various port captains along the way.

We stayed at a marina dock in British Columbia for one night this year. The only things I had to show them were my money and my proof of liability insurance. No boat registration, no personal ID, just the money and the insurance. But Border Force didn’t care one bit.

We have been required to show proof of health insurance in a few places, either at check in or when applying for a visa.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by dusblo

Can anyone name the countries they've been to where boat insurance was not required?

So far I've learned that the United States, Canada and New Zealand don't require boat insurance and that in some places like the Azores you can get liability insurance upon arrival but I haven't learned of any more countries that don't require boat insurance.

I don't remember anyone having problem with liability only heard of problems with hull insurance.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by dusblo

As far as I know it's not absolutely nessesary to make use of a marina because most places will allow you to drop anchor in a sheltered bay or even in a river that connects to the ocean although I might want a bigger 100 or 200lb anchor for more secure anchoring. Of course I would still seek out liability insurance regardless but as I previously mentioned some people can't keep their insurance when they go across an ocean and my main concern is being able to check in to a port of entry without insurance and after a long ocean passage.

I think you are confusing withdrawn with suspended or exculded. It is quite often the case that insurance is "suspended" when crossing an ocean because of various factors most usually insufficient crew numbers or inexperience of the crew. It may also have solo sailing restrictions for example no night sailing solo or not more than 24 hour solo passages.


This does not mean the insurance will not be valid just that it will not apply under the conditions; ocean crossing or solo passage. The insurance will return automatically to force at the end of an excluded period.


Obviously if the rig falls down on an ocean passage on which insurance was suspended then you wont suddenly be able to claim for it when you arrive at your destination. If you arrive tired after a solo passage that was excluded and you crash into a $100 million super yacht then it is likely the insurance company will reject your claim but having successfully parked you boat without incident when you present yourself at the marina office your insurance if you have it will be in force.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Zzmeyer

Mexico requires liability insurance issued by Mexican company. Whether a marina asks for it doesn’t mean it is not a requirement

Perhaps things have changed since I was last there; it's been several years, but I have never been asked for proof of insurance when checking in initially, nor when visiting harbormasters in the dozens of ports where they care.
Three or four Mexican Navy checks have also asked for nothing but visas and boat doc.

[mvweebles]

I'm in Ensenada (Baja, south of California). Yards and marinas most definitely require insurance.

Noonsite.com is the best source for global clearance requirements. Suspect few governments require proof of liability insurance. Becoming more common with nicer marinas.

Peter

[rwidman]

Unfortunately, boat insurance is not required in the United States (in the USA, it would be a State law, not a Federal law anyway). This leaves us paying for "uninsured boater" coverage to cover our losses when an irresponsible, uninsured boater causes us damage.

As someone already posted, most marinas require liability insurance in the amount of $300K or more, but most don't require proof for transients, only long term tenants.

Personally, regardless of legal requirements, I have insurance on my boat and liability insurance. One would be a fool to not have liability insurance on a boat.

[Zzmeyer]

Originally Posted by Benz

Perhaps things have changed since I was last there; it's been several years, but I have never been asked for proof of insurance when checking in initially, nor when visiting harbormasters in the dozens of ports where they care.
Three or four Mexican Navy checks have also asked for nothing but visas and boat doc.

You are correct. Customs and Immigrations, the Navy, nor the harbormaster have requested proof of insurance from me. They probably also didn't ask if you had a gun onboard. Coral, Marina de La Paz, Cabo and Paradise Village Marina, my last four stops, all did. They all asked for copies of the TIP. Again, if its the law and someone nails you on it, arguing that no one asked for proof before will be a weak defense.

[Dooglas]

Are you really looking for ways to avoid carrying liability insurance? It is not expensive and the risk of a liability claim can be ugly. Pretty much the end of your cruising career when someone puts a lien on your boat and starts seizing your assets. And yes, around here marinas certainly require proof of liability insurance. My marina required I put them on my policy as a named additional interest.

[dusblo]

Originally Posted by Dooglas

Are you really looking for ways to avoid carrying liability insurance? It is not expensive and the risk of a liability claim can be ugly. Pretty much the end of your cruising career when someone puts a lien on your boat and starts seizing your assets. And yes, around here marinas certainly require proof of liability insurance. My marina required I put them on my policy as a named additional interest.

Navigating the ins and outs of things like boat insurance and entering a port of entry can be difficult for anyone who hasn't dealt with such things and there is limited information available on the internet to educate wannabe sailers such as myself about these things so that's why I started this thread.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by dusblo

Navigating the ins and outs of things like boat insurance and entering a port of entry can be difficult for anyone who hasn't dealt with such things and there is limited information available on the internet to educate wannabe sailers such as myself about these things so that's why I started this thread.

If your question is specific to clearing ports of entry, you may wish to restate it as such. I think, however, that Shrew already hit that one on the nose. There is no generalized or broadly applicable answer. You would need to research the clearance requirements for each port of entry you intend to visit.

My advice is still to obtain liability insurance for your own financial well being, not just because it is required in some jurisdictions.

[Dsanduril]

If you want to educate yourself about the ins and outs of regulatory stuff related to entry into foreign countries https://www.noonsite.com/ is probably the easiest "one-stop" place to go. As with anything internet (and especially crowd-sourced) you have to evaluate the information yourself.

CF is pretty good if you want to post a proposed itinerary, then you can get people that have been there (recently) to post their experience. Trying to cover the whole world is a bit difficult.

[zstine]

none of the eastern Caribbean Islands required insurance. some marinas may require it. Noonesite.com will have info for what is needed getting into each country.
these places ive sailed don't require insurance:
USA, 🇵🇷, USVI
French Islands Goudaloupe, Martinique, St Martin
Grenada 🇬🇩
St.Vincent & Grenadines
Bahamas
St Kitts 🇰🇳 & Nevis
Antigua Barbuda 🇦🇬
Dominique
St. Lucia 🇱🇨

[b_rodwell]

It's real simple:

It is immoral to go sailing without liability insurance. So get it.

As far as I know, nobody would have a problem if you had liability insurance.

BTW: I claimed on my liability insurance.

[Bill Garlick]

I just noticed New Zealand was included in the initial list of those countries not requiring insurance. All marinas in New Zealand require at least NZD5.0 million of Liability cover, some require NZD10.0 million and a few require comprehensive/full insurance. We provide Liability (Third Party) cover but only for certain flags and are unable to offer "top-ups" for those with less than NZD5.0 million. Some Marine insurers cap the Liability cover at less than the equivalent of NZD5.0 million and New Zealand marinas are usually sympathetic in these circumstances.