NAMMERT / Liability / Compulsory insurance
Compulsory boat insurance in Europe and worldwide
Whether third party cover is required depends on the water you are on, not on the flag you fly. Italy, Spain, Greece and Denmark require it, Croatia above 15 kW, Switzerland on all its lakes. Beyond Europe the rule is often tied to the harbour: anchor in the British Virgin Islands or enter a Turkish port, and the requirement applies to you.
In short: Germany and Austria have no general requirement for pleasure craft. Italy, Spain, Croatia (above 15 kW), Greece and Denmark do, each with its own minimum, and so does Switzerland. Outside Europe, Mexico, Turkey, Malaysia, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda and Cape Verde require insurance; in the United States it is up to each state.
Europe
Country by country, with the legal basis
| Country | Compulsory? | Minimum cover | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | none | no rule for pleasure craft |
| Austria | No (nationwide) | none | regional exceptions possible |
| Switzerland | Yes | under Swiss law | inland navigation law, also on the Swiss part of Lake Constance |
| Italy | Yes | €6,450,000 injury / €1,300,000 property | Ministerial Decree of 31.05.2022, in force since 11.06.2022 |
| Spain | Yes | €336,567 in total | Real Decreto 607/1999, Art. 8 |
| Croatia | Yes, above 15 kW | about €465,000 | Croatian compulsory insurance |
| Greece | Yes | €700,000 per claim, €2,100,000 in total | Greek minimum cover rules, 01/2026 |
| Denmark | Yes, for speedboats and jet skis | DKK 27m / DKK 13.5m | Merchant Shipping Act s. 175, since 15.05.2018 |
| Netherlands | No (not nationwide) | none | proof often a marina condition |
| Slovenia | Yes, above 3.7 kW | €210,000 per claim | Compulsory Traffic Insurance Act (ZOZP) |
| Montenegro | Yes, above 15 kW | personal injury | Compulsory Traffic Insurance Act, Art. 37 |
| Malta | Yes, above 9.9 hp | under Maltese law | condition of the Small Ships Register, Transport Malta |
| Portugal | Yes, types 1 to 4 and type 5 with engine | under Portuguese law | Decreto-Lei 93/2018 of 13.11.2018 |
| France | No | none | condition in berth contracts, regattas and commercial use |
| Turkey | Yes, for every vessel calling at port facilities, whatever the flag; proof is checked at entry | liability limit under LLMC 1976/96 | Official Gazette 27759 of 14.11.2010, Art. 5 |
Last checked: Italy, Spain, Croatia, Greece, Denmark and Switzerland on 18.09.2026, the other countries on 26.09.2026, Turkey on 08.11.2026. Italian figures are often quoted out of date online: €6,070,000 and €1,220,000 are the 2017 amounts.
Outside Europe
Where the long passage takes you, local law applies
Outside Europe the requirement is often attached to the port rather than the boat. The British Virgin Islands and Antigua and Barbuda require cover from every vessel that anchors or enters port in their waters, Turkey from every vessel at its port facilities, Mexico from every vessel in its waters. The flag makes no difference.
Few laws name a fixed amount. In the British Virgin Islands the Receiver of Wreck sets it, while Malaysia and Turkey refer to the liability limits of the 1976 London Convention as amended in 1996 (LLMC). And not every requirement is third party liability as such: Brazil asks for personal injury cover, Queensland for oil clean-up, salvage and wreck removal.
| Country | Compulsory? | Minimum cover | Legal basis, official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Yes, for every vessel in Mexican waters | no amount in the law | Ley de Navegación y Comercio Marítimos, Art. 176 |
| USA, federal law | No nationwide requirement found | none | 33 CFR § 174.31: states may make registration conditional on proof |
| USA, Utah | Yes, motorboats over 50 hp and personal watercraft; visitors up to 90 days follow the law of their home state or country | $25,000 / $50,000 bodily injury, $15,000 property, or $65,000 combined | Utah Code § 73-18c-301 and § 31A-22-1503 |
| USA, Arkansas | Yes, motorboats over 50 hp and personal watercraft, proof at registration | $50,000 per occurrence | Department of Finance and Administration, motor boat registration |
| USA, Hawaii | For moorings in state harbours | $500,000 | DLNR, Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, Harbor Tenant Handbook 07/2023 |
| British Virgin Islands | Yes, for every vessel anchoring, sailing or entering port, whatever the flag | amount set by the Receiver of Wreck; wreck removal included | Merchant Shipping Act 2001, s. 54(2) |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Yes, for every foreign vessel, pleasure yachts expressly included | no amount in the law | Merchant Shipping Act 2006, s. 4(2) |
| Saint-Martin (French side) | No below 300 GT | none; from 300 GT the LLMC limit | Code des transports, Art. L5123-1 |
| Brazil | Yes, for boats that must be registered in Brazil (DPEM, personal injury) | BRL 13,500 death or disability, BRL 2,700 medical costs, per person | Lei 8.374/1991; Resolução CNSP 435/2022 |
| Cape Verde | Yes, for owners of pleasure craft; the policy is one of the ship's papers | no amount in the law | Decreto-lei 37/2015 as amended by Decreto-lei 2/2023, Arts. 74 and 24 |
| Australia, Queensland | Yes, every ship over 15 m, recreational ones included (oil pollution, salvage, wreck) | AUD 250,000 oil clean-up and AUD 10m salvage and wreck (15 to 35 m) | Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Act 1995, s 67A |
| Australia, New South Wales | No | none | Transport for NSW: not compulsory for registration |
| New Zealand | Yes, from 400 GT, foreign ships included (oil pollution) | liability limit under the Maritime Transport Act | Maritime Transport Act 1994, s 363; Marine Protection Rules Part 102 |
| Malaysia | Yes, every ship, foreign yachts under 300 GT included | liability limit under LLMC 1976/96 | Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 as amended by Act A1393; Marine Department, MSN 04/2014 and 07/2016 |
| Seychelles | Proof asked by customs | none | Seychelles Revenue Commission: insurance document for temporary admission beyond one month |
| UAE, Dubai | Yes, for boats licensed in Dubai; visiting yachts need a permit from the maritime authority | no amount; the policy may not limit liability | Executive Council Resolution 11/2013, Arts. 20 to 24 |
| UAE, Abu Dhabi | Proof at clearance of foreign yachts | none | AD Maritime, Foreign Yachts Clearance: P&I insurance on the document list |
| Panama Canal | No insurance, but a release and indemnity for small craft up to 38.1 m | none | Autoridad del Canal de Panamá, handline transit, procedure 4352 of 26.05.2026 |
Checked on 08.11.2026 against statutes, official gazettes and authorities only. Countries where we found no official source, such as Thailand, Egypt, the Bahamas, Cuba, Canada and South Africa, are left out on purpose: nothing is settled there, it is simply not documented. Ask the port or customs before arrival which proof they expect.
Questions
Answered briefly
Is boat insurance compulsory in Europe?
In some countries. Italy, Spain, Greece and Denmark require third party liability cover, Croatia above 15 kW, Slovenia above 3.7 kW and Switzerland on its waters. Germany, Austria, France and the Netherlands have no general requirement, although most marinas ask for proof.
Is boat insurance compulsory outside Europe?
On many long distance routes, yes. Mexico requires it for every vessel in its waters, the British Virgin Islands and Antigua and Barbuda for every vessel that anchors or enters port, Malaysia for foreign yachts as well. In the United States the states decide: Utah and Arkansas require it for motorboats over 50 hp. Checked on 8 November 2026.
What does LLMC mean for the minimum cover?
The 1976 London Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, amended in 1996. It sets liability limits that rise with the size of the vessel. Turkey and Malaysia require insurance at least up to that limit instead of naming their own amount.
Will a marina ask for proof even where nothing is compulsory?
Very likely. Most marinas, clubs and boatyards make proof of liability cover a condition of the berth. That is contract law, not statute, which is why it is common even where the law is silent.
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