Part of our preparation is looking for insurance, which is kind of an art these days. There is plenty of choice for sailing in Europe, the Atlantic and the Caribbean. But it is different for a circumnavigation, starting in the Pacific. The underwriters have suffered heavy losses after a few hurricane seasons. As a consequence brokers and agents cannot find coverage and stopped offering. So prices have increased and conditions deteriorated.

Question

Is your company still ensuring sailing yachts outside European/Atlantic waters?
Our case is: Sailing couple, Dutch, man (in 2023) 62, woman 61 year of age. Both on CWOIII level (RYA yachtmaster coastal) progressing to the next level. Qualified with SRC/LRC, Meteo, Medical on Board. Preparing for a circumnavigation. Buying a new Seawind 1260 (K€ 450) to be delivered april 2023 in Vietnam. Preferable registered in Cook Islands. Sailing plan first leg: 1 to 1,5 year, Vietnam via Taiwan, Japan to Pacific Coast North, Mid America, France Polynesia, NZ, Australia. On long crossing sailing with a crew of 4. Further plan crossing to Africa, Brazil, Suriname, Caribbean, East cost America, Med?, Europe. Total time ~ 5 years. Looking for a minimal of Hull and Liability insurance

Companies

I ask this question to several insurance companies to be able to compare offers. With the following result in Europa:

1. Y Yachts (acquired by TopSail), webform via https://yyachtinsurance.com/contact-us
2. Pantaenius UK, info@pantaenius.co.uk with forwarded my inquiry to Pantaenius DE info@pantaenius.com
3. Preuss Yachtversicherungen, https://preuss-yachtversicherungen.de/kontakt.php
4. Ship Insurance International, +31(0)50-305 28 02 monique @ shipinsurance.nl, www.shipinsurance.nl
5. FBTO, bootverzekeringen, https://www.fbto.nl/bootverzekering

Companies in Australia:

1. Darren Draper, Oceanic Marine Risks Pty Ltd, Mob. +61 400732488, http://www.oceanicmarinerisks.com.au
2. https://mkwib.com.au/contact-us/ MKW Insurance Brokers, insurance broker Luke Wiblin, Mobile 0438637843
3. https://www.clubmarine.com.au/

In America

1. Allen Insurance & Financial, www.alleninsuranceandfinancial.com
2. BoatUS Marine Insurance, www.boatus.com/insurance
3. Gowrie Group, www.gowrie.com or International Marine Insurance Services, www.imis.pro
4. Pantaenius America has stopped.

Answers & new knowledge

Regulations

I stopped asking questions to the American brokers because most of the internet webforms required my to be an american citizen, asked for american papers and certifications etc. Later I was told of the new restrictions.

Great quick response via email. The Australian brokers, 1 and 2, have said not to be able to offer world insurance. Clubmarine can offer Pantaenius, which will be the DE office for Europeans.

I found out that companies can only insure a citizen of its own country or economic region due to new regulations. Y-Yachts/TopSail has a French branche, which is licensed to cover the EU. (EU ex UK after Brexit)

If you stay in a region for a long time, a year or more, local coverage is often possible. I have a contact person, broker in Japan and everything is possible in the Australian region. I think because you get a resident permit and then comply with the insurance regulations.

Registry

I was pointed too ParisMou.org which is used by insurance companies for commercial shipping to determine the quality of a registrar. Unfortunately Cook Island, offered by Seawind for non-Australians, is on the blacklist. And not accepted by EU insurance companies, not even for pleasure yachts. My preferred option, being Dutch, is a NL registry which demands a physical inspection. With a factory delivery in Vietnam it costs about $10.000. Although just on the Grey list, Poland (as an EU country) is accepted by all insurance companies and doesn’t require an inspection, is fully online, lifetime registration, MSSI possible and cheap. Its takes 3 months to fully register.

Comparison

All European brokers have asked for additional information and have offered a Hull&Mast and liability. We are comparing prices and conditions. But four offers is oké. All companies contacted us via email and phone as well. Great because I asked a few extra questions and got answers. One of them reminded me to consider an insurance during the build and two of them mentioned that prices are no longer rising. Which is not true for 2023. 🙂

FBTO only insures yachts with a dutch registration. So a NoGo for us.

We accepted an offer from PREUSS, for the hull, (including own fault, lighting etc.) medium liability for yacht and dinghy. We started in the Pacific, which is Area C, world wide. Expensive but related to the value of our new Seawind1260 not that bad.

updated may 2021 with White,Grey and Black list ParisMou.org, jun 2021 answers & new knowledge, jan.2023 PREUSS offer accepted.