Frequently Asked Questions

It’s generally considered good practice to have a second-hand boat surveyed before buying it, regardless of its age. There will also be occasions when an insurer will need to see a survey report before agreeing to provide cover on some vessels – for example, those that are over a certain age, home-built, refitted, or that have been damaged.

• • Find a surveyor who is knowledgeable about the type of boat you have. 

• The surveyor must be independent of the seller and any intermediary involved in the sale.

• The surveyor should have professional indemnity insurance. 
• Many surveyors carry qualifications and/or are members of professional bodies, such as the Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) and the International Institute of Marine Surveyors (IIMS).
• To find a surveyor, get in touch with a professional body, check their websites, or ask your local marina or a yacht broker for their recommended list.

• The survey itself should be a full survey e.g covering the whole boat including engine(s), rig, hull, deck and fittings.
• The survey should be done out of the water i.e. ‘dry’. The value of the vessel should be indicated when the survey is done.
• To be acceptable to an insurer (and each insurer may have their own rules), any survey for insurance purposes should be not more than two years old, and undertaken for the insured.
• You shouldn’t rely on a survey done for someone else, e.g. the previous owner or a previous potential buyer. While it may be a useful guide, the surveyor involved only has a responsibility to the person who commissioned the survey, and to no-one else. If there does exist a survey done for someone else, it may be possible (and cheaper) to re-approach that surveyor for an ‘update’, rather than arrange for a whole new survey.
• Any survey will contain recommendations, and it’s sensible to speak to the surveyor when you receive them. The surveyor should arrange them in order of priority, e.g.:
  • Those that must be done before the boat goes back in the water.
  • Those that can be done after the boat is afloat, but before she’s put back into commission.
  • Those that should be done soon, but can wait until the next lay-up period.
  • Those that need doing to keep the boat in good condition.
• Once the recommendations have been carried out, the surveyor should be called back to check them, and confirm, in writing, that the recommendations have been complied with to their satisfaction.

The above is for information purposes only. It’s not intended to define legal terms, or to affect the interpretation of any policy we may issue. If you have any questions about your insurance, the best thing to do is get your particular questions answered individually by your insurance broker or insurer.

Check with your navigation authority if this applies to your waterway. It should be noted that these are not surveys, and the vessel should be retested when she changes hands.

The above is for information purposes only. It’s not intended to define legal terms, or to affect the interpretation of any policy we may issue. If you have any questions about your insurance, the best thing to do is get your particular questions answered individually by your insurance broker or insurer.

• Many inland waterways require you to have a Boat Safety Certificate issued by the Canal and River Trust and the Environmental Agency. Its purpose is to help minimise the risk of boat fires, explosions or pollution. While it’s wise to have any ‘elderly’ boat regularly checked over, it’s up to you how often the vessel is surveyed.
• Some insurers, however, ask for surveys on a regular basis, every 3 or 5 years. As a general rule, once we receive a satisfactory survey report from you, we won’t ask for another survey for as long as you stay continually insured with us. 
• It’s sensible to ask any insurer who requests a survey, how often after the first one they’ll ask for another. A survey may seem an expensive irritation, but while any owner will feel they ‘know’ their own boat, it’s essential that an independent, qualified, insured person is called in when necessary.

The above is for information purposes only. It’s not intended to define legal terms, or to affect the interpretation of any policy we may issue. If you have any questions about your insurance, the best thing to do is get your particular questions answered individually by your insurance broker or insurer.