Barge Narrowboat Insurance Ireland

When you are considering insurance for your Barge, it is important to make sure that your boat insurance is adequate for your needs, and not to forget additional equipment such as trailers, trolleys and safety equipment that can be easily overlooked and are often costly to replace. Most accessories and equipment that is specific to your boating activities can be covered by boat insurance if you opt to include them. Yachtsman insurance will usually cover: Accidental Damage Fire or Explosion Theft or Attempted Theft Malicious Damage / Vandalism Storm Damage Your liability for damage or injury to other parties Boat insurance policies generally do not cover: Wear, tear, depreciation, gradual deterioration e.g. corrosion or electrolysis Mechanical breakdown Damaged deliberately caused by you Faulty workmanship For full details of Yachtsman Yacht & Motorboat Insurance cover and exclusions please read our policy wording and Insurance Product Information Documents.

It is also a condition of many boat insurance policies that your Barge is maintained correctly and in a seaworthy condition. Whilst it is important to ensure your Barge or Narrow Boat insurance policy will be valid in the event of a claim, this is also good practice to ensure that you and your passengers and/or crew are safe when on the water. It is important to ensure that all systems of a boat are checked and, as necessary, maintained in accordance with manufacturers guidelines or generally acknowledged best practice. If you are unsure it is worth getting professional advice from a yard or surveyor

Liability for damage caused to other people or their property whilst towing your Barge or Narrow boat should be covered by the motor insurance policy of the towing vehicle. Most motor insurers cover towing for personal use but you should check with them before doing so. Most insurers cover your boat when it is being towed but check your policy carefully and contact your insurance company if you are not sure. Many insurers restrict road transit to boats under a certain length, 9 metres is quite a common limit.

In most cases, the answer is 'yes' although some insurers charge extra for using your boat in winter months. If your Certificate of Insurance states a laid up period, this is generally down to the mooring location or the type of boat. You can still use your boat on a launch & retrieve bases but it cannot be left on the water when not in use. Please refer to the endorsement section of your Certificate of insurance to check the conditions of your policy

Years’ experience is how long you have been using a similar vessel of the same length and type and within similar cruising areas as the one you are looking to insure. You do not need to have owned the vessel yourself, it may be you gained your experience using another person’s vessel.

We require a full out of water survey carried out by a qualified marine surveyor when a craft is 25 years old. A full survey should be an exhaustive inspection covering every detail affecting the boat’s condition and safety including a thorough evaluation of the hull, all onboard systems, the structural integrity of all components, the extent of existing problems, suggestions for upgrades and needed repairs with the surveyor's recommendations stipulated with time scales. We would require an ultrasonic hull plate thickness report for a steel hull. We also require an estimate of the vessel’s Current Market Value. We may accept a survey that has been carried out within the last 4 years provided it is in English and all the above conditions are met. If you have purchased a new policy from us which has a condition that a survey is required you will be asked to upload the survey within 14 days. If the survey is not received in this time period or if the survey is not a ‘full’ survey as described above we will cancel the policy from inception and refund your payment.