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A small boat with an outboard: do I need insurance?
Short answer
At sea in the UK no law requires insurance for a small boat with an outboard,
but you are personally liable for any damage you cause.
On inland waterways, in most marinas and in Italy or Spain,
proof of third party cover is a condition.
A rigid inflatable or a small dory with a 15 hp outboard is the way into boating for many people, and at sea in the UK nobody asks for a licence to drive one. Nor does any statute require insurance. That is where the reassurance ends. If the boat hits a swimmer, damages another boat on a mooring or knocks a pontoon, the driver and the owner answer for it, and a small boat at 20 knots can cause an injury that costs far more than the boat ever did. An RYA powerboat course is not compulsory either, but it is the quickest way to avoid that claim in the first place.
In practice proof of cover is asked for more often than the law suggests. The Canal and River Trust and the Environment Agency make third party insurance a condition of a boat licence on the waterways they manage, and most marinas, clubs and launching sites want to see a certificate before they take a berth fee or a launching fee. Some household policies extend personal liability to small craft, usually with limits on length or engine power, so read the wording before you buy a separate policy. What a household policy never covers is damage to your own boat or the theft of the outboard, a common loss with small boats; that needs hull cover. With us, theft of the outboard is covered from Basis Plus, provided it was secured with a locking bolt or a comparable device or kept in a locked building.
Abroad the rules depend on the country, not on your experience. Italy and Spain require third party cover for every boat with an engine, Slovenia from 3.7 kW and Malta above 9.9 hp, while Croatia asks for it from 15 kW. Spain lets owners drive boats up to 5 metres and 15 hp without a licence, but since 1 October 2026 anyone hiring such a boat there needs a certificate. If the tender or the inflatable goes on holiday with you, carry an insurance certificate that names the boat and covers the waters you are heading for.
Worth remembering
No licence
needed to drive it at sea
Full liability
for any damage you cause
Not needing a licence tells you who may drive. It says nothing about who pays.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Is insurance compulsory for a small boat with an outboard in the UK?
Not at sea. On waterways managed by the Canal and River Trust or the Environment Agency, third party cover is a condition of the licence, and most marinas ask for it too.
Does my home insurance cover my inflatable?
Sometimes for liability, within limits on length or engine power set out in the wording. Damage to the boat itself and theft of the outboard are normally excluded.
Do I need insurance to take a small boat to Spain or Italy?
Yes. Both countries require third party cover for any boat with an engine, and you should carry proof of it on board.
Related
Not sure whether you qualify?
Whether it is “A small boat with an outboard: do I need insurance?” 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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