Motorboat swamped by heavy rain at the berth: what does the insurer look at?

A motorboat swamped by heavy rain, sitting low at the berth or even sunk, is a familiar sight after a summer storm. Open boats with large cockpits are most at risk, especially without a cover or under one that sags. Water collects in the cockpit, the drains clog with leaves, the bilge pump runs until the battery is flat, and eventually the stern sits so low that water comes in over the transom or through openings. What the insurer looks at first is whether a sudden event caused it or whether the boat was not properly looked after.

Hull policies are generally written around sudden events, and a severe storm with heavy rain can be one. With us, rain on its own is a weather influence and is not insured; what is covered is damage that follows a storm, in Basis from force 8, and sinking after an accident from Basis Plus. The insurer will still ask why the boat could not get rid of the water. Blocked cockpit drains, a broken bilge pump, a battery flat for weeks or a cover that was not secured are often seen as a failure to maintain and secure the boat, and many wordings restrict or exclude cover in that case. On top of the hull, swamping often damages the engine, wiring and upholstery, and if the boat sank there is the cost of raising it. Read your own policy wording on maintenance and unattended boats.

Prevention is simple and cheap. Rig the cover tight so no water pools on it, and check it after every storm. Keep cockpit drains and scuppers clear of leaves, fit a bilge pump with a float switch and keep the battery charged, from shore power or a small solar panel. After a heavy rain warning, check the boat yourself or ask someone at the marina to look. If it has happened, pump out, do not start the engine until it has been checked, photograph everything and report the damage to your insurer before any repair.

Worth remembering

Clear drains and a tight cover prevent much of the rain damage at the berth.