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Search and rescue costs
Boat insurance term, area: Liability
The cost of searching for and helping people in distress: lifeboats, helicopters, other vessels called to assist. It is a separate item and not to be confused with salvage, which is about the boat, whereas search and rescue is about people. Lifeboat crews in the UK and Ireland do not charge for saving lives, but abroad private rescue and assistance services may send an invoice. In our liability cover this item applies from Basis-Plus only when an EPIRB or DSC alert is set off by mistake without an emergency; the search for people in real distress is paid by the Premium personal accident cover.
What to check: Is there a limit for search and rescue costs, and in which section of the policy does it sit? Does it apply only to the rescue of people, or also to assistance for the boat?
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A general explanation in our own words.
What applies to you is set only by the wording of your own policy.
