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

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by Benz

Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Cuba, Bahamas, Canada--none of these required insurance to check in.
One marina in Mex. asked for it. One marina in Massachusetts.
Nobody else ever.

Mexico is unusual. Their check-in requires liability insurance from a company authorized to issue a "Mexican Liability Insurance" policy. Very specific. And if you have liability insurance from a non-Mexican company, that is not acceptable. Fortunately the Mexican version is quite cheap.

Maybe the day you checked in they were just not being very strict about it.

[dusblo]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

I think you are confusing withdrawn with suspended or exculded.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.

Is this really the case with the majority of insurance companies including BoatUS, Geico and Progressive?

[Yellowtulip]

Originally Posted by dusblo

Is this really the case with the majority of insurance companies including BoatUS, Geico and Progressive?

There won’t be many people who will have experience of multiple insurance companies, I guess. Best check with the companies themselves.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by waterman46

Mexico is unusual. Their check-in requires liability insurance from a company authorized to issue a "Mexican Liability Insurance" policy. Very specific. And if you have liability insurance from a non-Mexican company, that is not acceptable. Fortunately the Mexican version is quite cheap.

Maybe the day you checked in they were just not being very strict about it.

I've checked into Mex (initial check-in, not just the courtesy visit to each harbor's harbormaster) more than half-a-dozen times, and proof of ins. was never required or mentioned. I suspect it may be more a matter or where one checks in, since every Mexican harbormaster calls his own tune he wants you to dance to.
It's the same in other countries too. Panama can be both the easiest/quickest or the most annoying and expensive place to check into, depending on which port you hit first.
In Nicaragua they were literally making it up as they went along.
In Honduras the Pacific and Caribbean sides are like two different countries--even the forms are different.

[Nicholson58]

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.

If you are leaving your designated cruising ground it is prudent to make insurance arrangements before you depart. Typically, you will not be covered en rout without doing so.

[Bill Youmans]

Just get Liability insurance only and as Joshua Slocum said--"to those contemplating a voyage , I would just say GO".

[Dsanduril]

Mexican law on the topic is covered here:

https://mexico.justia.com/federales/...cio-maritimos/

Artículo 176. Todas las embarcaciones que naveguen o artefactos navales que se encuentren, en zonas marinas o en aguas interiores mexicanas, deberán de contar con un seguro de protección e indemnización por responsabilidad civil en los términos del Título Séptimo de esta Ley.

The key is “all boats”. If you dig through the laws it appears that this is enforced as part of the TIP (temporary importation permit), when you get a TIP you are importing the boat into Mexico and thus the law becomes applicable.

Interestingly, in researching this Spain has a similar requirement, and specifically calls out foreign vessels:

Seguro de embarcaciones extranjeras.

1. Los navieros o propietarios de embarcaciones extranjeras de recreo o deportivas que naveguen por el mar territorial español y por sus aguas marítimas interiores, siempre que tengan entrada o salida en un puerto español, deberán asegurar la responsabilidad civil en que puedan incurrir con motivo de la navegación o acreditar, en su caso, la existencia de un seguro, con el alcance y condiciones que para los navieros o propietarios de embarcaciones españolas se prescriben en este Reglamento.

2. En caso de suscripción del seguro a la entrada de la embarcación en el ámbito territorial de aplicación de la presente cobertura obligatoria, el documento acreditativo de la misma deberá contener, como mínimo, las siguientes indicaciones:

a) La indicación de que la garantía se concede dentro de los límites y condiciones previstos como obligatorios en este Reglamento.

b) La indicación de que, en caso de siniestro, se aplicarán los límites y condiciones previstos como obligatorios en la legislación española y, en concreto, en el presente Reglamento.

c) Las indicaciones establecidas en el artículo 12 de este Reglamento.
https://boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1999-9655

I haven’t checked into Spain in a long time, no idea if this is enforced or just another of those things on the books but not much attention gets paid.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Mexican law on the topic is covered here:

https://mexico.justia.com/federales/...cio-maritimos/



The key is “all boats”. If you dig through the laws it appears that this is enforced as part of the TIP (temporary importation permit), when you get a TIP you are importing the boat into Mexico and thus the law becomes applicable.

Interestingly, in researching this Spain has a similar requirement, and specifically calls out foreign vessels:



I haven’t checked into Spain in a long time, no idea if this is enforced or just another of those things on the books but not much attention gets paid.

If Spain is anything like Mexico, I'll bet the law is enforced or ignored only on the whim of whatever harbormaster is checking you in just then. I'm usually fine with whatever entrance procedure and requirements are in place--I just wish countries would consolidate their methods, post them someplace you can find online beforehand, and not change them around from place to place according to whim and fancy. It would streamline the process immensely.

[sogood]

Here in Ireland, boat insurance is not a requirement. In fact the whole boating scene is very under regulated, if at all.

[Mark Johnson]

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 have been to over 20, both sides of the Caribbean. I never stayed in marinas.

I never had any form of insurance, on my self built trimaran.
No one ever asked, untill I returned to the US for jobs.
Then, liability was required. (Cheep)

[SuW]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

Insurance for what purpose? In Canada, all marinas and clubs require at least 2M liability.

Not true, in my 30 years of boating.

It may be because we store our boat in more of a blue-collar boatyard, not a fancy marina, or yacht club. (We do have a yacht club, though.)

We were unable to get liability-only insurance, but insured out boat for a nominal sum ($10K Canadian) with liability.

I too think liability insurance is prudent for any boater.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by SuW

Not true, in my 30 years of boating.

It may be because we store our boat in more of a blue-collar boatyard, not a fancy marina, or yacht club. (We do have a yacht club, though.)

We were unable to get liability-only insurance, but insured out boat for a nominal sum ($10K Canadian) with liability.

I too think liability insurance is prudent for any boater.

How curious ! It has been true in my 30yrs of cruising all of the Great Lakes.
Perhaps you have a different 30 years

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

How curious ! It has been true in my 30yrs of cruising all of the Great Lakes.
Perhaps you have a different 30 years

I used three marinas/yacht clubs over the 15-or-so years in the Great Lakes. All three required insurance for long-term dockage, haul and winter storage, although it wasn't until the latter years that they actually demanded we show proof. For many years it was just on the honour system.

But I was never asked about insurance for any transient dockage anywhere from Superior through to Lake Ontario.

In Newfoundland, my previous club recommended members have insurance, but didn't require it. My current NL club/marina requires insurance, although I don't think they ever asked for proof.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by Benz

If Spain is anything like Mexico, I'll bet the law is enforced or ignored only on the whim of whatever harbormaster is checking you in just then.

Well, they will tell you as soon as you hit something.


To the OP:
I have been asked for liability insurance at every marina in the Med, and in the Canary islands. Even for one night. No insurance, no berth.
Don't think they wanted to see any paperwork in the two Caribbean marinas I have ever seen.


Liability insurance is cheap. Skip it if you can afford to loose everything you have ever owned and will ever own in your life.
Just watch this episode and the 2 following episodes, and check the charges mentioned

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrS3niEejm8

[Mike OReilly]

Liability insurance does tend to be quite cheap, although it can be hard to get on its own in some places. So I'm all for it.

What's interesting is the different standards that seem to vary from country to country. Here in Canada $2M is the norm, and $5M is not uncommon. I pay peanuts for my liability coverage, although it is part of a comprehensive policy.

I think in Australia I've read here the standard is $10M. I don't know how litigious Oz culture is, but it isn't as bad as the USA.

In the USA -- the most litigious of developed countries -- the standard seems to be a mere $300K. This seems laughable low measured against the cost of fancy new yachts. Yet this is the standard. So, what happens when your liability claim exceeds your coverage?