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Canary Islands and Madeira: what your policy must cover
Atlantic
A twelve-month season and a wind that never rests.
The Canaries are sailed all year, and that changes the sums: the boat never rests in winter, the berth works for twelve months and gear ages faster than in the Mediterranean. With Madeira on the same route, the islands are also the classic start of the Atlantic crossing.
At a glance
Las Palmas, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Madeira
Year-round use: a policy with a winter pause does not fit
Trade winds accelerate between the islands
Starting point of the ARC and other Atlantic crossings
Worth knowing
Canary Islands and Madeira: what to know before you go
The trade winds blow steadily from the north-east and speed up between the islands. The acceleration zones in the lee of Tenerife and Gran Canaria are well known and regular, and they produce the most typical claim in the archipelago: damage at the berth and lines that break from constant working, rather than from one isolated storm.
With its mild climate the archipelago has no off season, so a seasonal policy that pauses from November to April does not fit. Wear is an insurance question here, not only a maintenance one. A line that works for twelve months ages in sun and salt, and when it parts, insurers see wear, not damage. The same goes for sails and running rigging: plan shorter replacement cycles than in continental Europe.
Before a crossing, check long-distance cover for time or geographical limits, hurricane and cyclone exclusion clauses and single-handed sailing. In a survey of seven long-distance offers (as at 1 August 2026), one excluded single-handing in its basic wording, and adding an overseas area can bring in a single-handed limit where the basic wording has none. Look at sums insured and salvage costs too.
Questions and answers
Common questions
Do I need a year-round policy in the Canaries?
In practice, yes. The boat is used in every month, so a seasonal policy with a break from November to April leaves a gap exactly when many people sail. Whatever the policy, the usual duty of care applies in January just as it does in August.
What should I check before leaving for the Caribbean?
Look for time or geographical limits, subzones and hurricane or cyclone exclusion clauses, and check any single-handed restriction. Read what the contract requires on long passages, such as keeping a log: that record is also the document that counts if something happens mid-Atlantic.
Is a mooring line that breaks in the trade winds a claim?
Insurers generally treat a line that parts from wear as ageing rather than damage. Damage caused by a specific storm is judged differently. Check how your own policy draws that line, and renew lines and running rigging sooner than you would in continental Europe.
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