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Cruising range: where your policy actually covers you
Short answer
Many claims that get declined are not declined because of an exclusion.
They are declined because the boat was outside the agreed cruising range.
Every hull policy defines a geographical area. Outside it there is no cover, and no exclusion needs to be invoked; the contract simply does not reach that far. This is a common reason for a passage claim to fail, and it is entirely avoidable.
Read the exact wording rather than the summary. "European coastal waters" does not include an Atlantic crossing. "Mediterranean" often stops at Gibraltar. "Within 12 nautical miles of the coast" rules out any offshore passage, including the direct route from Mallorca to the Balearic mainland in some readings.
We agree the range with you rather than assigning one. Worldwide cover is available, including ocean passages, and extending the range for a single season is straightforward if you tell us in advance. What cannot be done is extending it retrospectively, which is why we would rather have the conversation in February than in June.
Worth remembering
The line
in the policy is a real border
Not backdated
can it ever be moved
Many declined claims are not declined because of an exclusion. They are declined because the boat was on the wrong side of that line.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Is worldwide cover available?
Yes. Worldwide cruising ranges including ocean passages are available, without a surcharge. Before acceptance we need evidence of the required qualification and of the sea miles sailed.
Can I extend the range for one trip?
Yes, for a defined period. Tell us before you leave.
Is there a hurricane exclusion?
Not in our standard wording, which is unusual among the wordings we reviewed. Several of them exclude the Caribbean hurricane season or require the boat to be north or south of a stated latitude.
Does the cover apply in the Mediterranean and on the high seas?
Yes, as soon as the cruising area in your policy includes the waters: European inland waters, North Sea and Baltic, the Mediterranean or worldwide, for liability and hull alike. Worldwide cover comes without a surcharge, Atlantic crossing and Caribbean included. Whenever the position changes by more than 300 nautical miles, the digital logbook must be kept. Premium also covers six weeks a year outside the agreed area.
Related
Not sure whether you qualify?
Whether it is “Cruising range: where your policy actually covers you” or another question: send us your residence and the flag your boat flies. You will get a straight answer in one email; including a no, if that is the answer.
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