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Bluewater yacht insurance
Short answer
On a long passage it is not the premium that decides but the limit of the cruising area. It is written in the policy as degrees, not as a country name.
A bluewater yacht is a cruiser with reserve: built heavier, with tank capacity, self-steering and a rig that can be repaired underway. Brands such as Hallberg-Rassy, Amel, Boréal, Allures, Ovni, Contest, Trintella or Discovery belong here, as do many steel and aluminium one-offs to Reinke, Koopmans or Van de Stadt designs.
The decisive point is the cruising area. In this market it is defined by degrees of latitude and longitude, not by country names, and an owner at the edge of his area cannot tell where he stands without a chart. Before you leave, settle which degrees are in your policy and what an extension costs. It is common that buying an overseas area also raises the deductible, not just the premium.
Extensions also bring their own conditions: exclusions for named tropical storms in season, exclusions for piracy between certain latitudes, a doubled deductible for lightning without a lightning protection system, and often a singlehanded limit, frequently beyond twenty-four hours with only one person aboard. For a two-person crew where one is out of action, that is the clause that counts. So check whether your policy covers singlehanded sailing, and whether it sets a minimum crew or a watch requirement.
Questions and answers
What owners of these boats ask
How far does my cruising area reach?
It is stated in your policy in degrees.
We tell you where the limit runs on the chart and extend it before you leave, not underway.
Is singlehanded sailing covered?
It depends on the wording: check for a minimum crew and a time limit.
In the market one of seven providers excludes it in the base wording,
and when an overseas area is added a singlehanded limit can appear even where the base wording has
none.
What applies during hurricane season?
Overseas extensions almost always contain an exclusion for named tropical storms in certain
latitudes and months.
Plan your lay-up accordingly.
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