Frequently asked questions

No.

It is important to note that the Skipper Third Party Liability policy is a contingent liability cover only, designed to cover those personal liabilities a skipper may incur through use of a yacht they do not own and for which the yacht’s own liability insurance somehow fails to respond.  It does not cover damage caused to the yacht you are skippering and it is not a skipper’s Professional Indemnity policy. In layman’s terms think of it as a yachting equivalent of a “driving other cars extension” that you might sometimes find on a motor insurance policy, i.e., under a driving other cars extension you would have third party liability cover while driving another car that you did not own, but there would be no cover for loss or damage to the driven vehicle, nor any liability you may face to the car’s owner for loss or damage to their vehicle.  Where our Skipper Third Party Liability policy comes into play is; if the yacht’s third party liability policy somehow fails to respond when a third party pursues a liability claim against you as the skipper of the yacht, or if you are uncertain as to the existence or suitability of the yacht’s third party liability insurance.

Unfortunately, we do not offer Professional Indemnity cover for delivery skippers, nor offer cover for short term risks or one off voyages and we do not have a policy that covers delivery skippers for loss or damage to a skippered yacht that they do not own.

Normal practice when a yacht owner uses a delivery skipper is that the yacht owner would have the delivery skipper approved by their insurers. In doing so, any loss or damage to the yacht whilst in the care of a delivery skipper would be paid for by the yacht owner’s hull insurers in the usual manner under the terms of the hull policy, as if the yacht owner had been on board at the time of the incident.

The yacht owner’s third party liability policy should likewise respond for third party liabilities incurred whilst the yacht is in the hands of a delivery skipper. Where the Pantaenius Skipper Third Party Liability policy comes into play is; if the yacht’s third party liability policy somehow fails to respond when a third party pursues a liability claim against you as the skipper of the yacht, or if you are uncertain as to the existence or suitability of the yacht’s third party liability insurance.  You might like to discuss with your prospective yacht owning client the possibility of having your delivery voyage covered under the owner’s yacht insurance in the customary manner.  However, purchasing the Pantaenius Skipper Third Party liability policy will provide an additional layer of personal protection and serve as a safety net should you personally incur a third party liability, whilst skippering, that is not covered by the yacht’s policies.

Yes, if you select the commercial use option the cover can be available to you, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the policy. Please read the policy details carefully to ensure you understand what the insurance is and what it covers.

The standard Skipper Liability insurance policy is for private use only and excludes commercial use, unless commercial use has been agreed by insurers.  The commercial Skipper Liability policy is an extension of the standard private use only policy, to also include commercial use. Private use is therefore included within the commercial policy and you do not need to buy two policies.

The skipper liability product is only available for purchase online. It is not available over the telephone. You can use this link to access the relevant section of the Pantaenius UK website: https://www.pantaenius.com/uk-en/insurance/skipper-liability/ from here you can select the level of cover you require (there are options for different limits of liability, different sizes of vessel and for private or commercial use), create a user account, complete your purchase, make payment via card and then access your documents.

No. It is an annual policy and mid term adjustments on a pro rata basis are not possible, so you will need to select at the outset the scope of cover that will meet your needs throughout the whole of the upcoming 12 month policy period.

No. It’s a 12 month policy. Our underwriters do not offer single voyage cover or short term policies.

Please refer to the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) for an overview of what is covered and not covered. The IPID can be found on our website https://www.pantaenius.com/uk-en/service/downloads/conditions-clauses/

For full details please refer to the policy Terms and Conditions. These can be found on our website by using the link above.

The cost of the insurance depends on the level of cover you select. There are options for different sizes of yacht, different limits of cover, private use only or commercial use and cruising areas of either Worldwide, or Worldwide excluding USA waters.  The prices are all listed on our website and include UK Insurance Premium Tax.

No. Unfortunately the policy is only available to UK domiciled policyholders.

Policyholders domiciled in other European countries, Switzerland, Norway or Iceland can only be insured under German law. If this applies to you, please click here and you will be forwarded to our Pantaenius Germany website.

Have you activated your Pantaenius user account? You should have received an account activation email. You will need to use the link within that email to activate your Pantaenius client login account in order to proceed.

It sounds like you might have not successfully clicked the Buy Now button to complete your purchase.  If you have completed the purchase you will have received a payment receipt by email and policy documents would be available in your client login account on the Pantaenius website.  After activating your Pantaenius client login account and entering your card details, you need to click the Buy Now button to complete the purchase.

Payment is made solely online via the website using a debit or credit card.

No. Payment is online via the secure website payment only. We do not hold client’s card details and cannot take payment over the telephone.

You need to log into your Pantaenius client login account via our website. You can access your policy documents, the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID), the Terms and Conditions and claim form there.

UK Insurance Premium Tax is applicable. The premium shown on the website and on your payment receipt includes UK Insurance Premium Tax, which we have to pay to the UK Treasury. The premium noted on your policy document is the net premium charged by the insurers without tax. Insurance Premium Tax is not shown on the policy document.

This is necessary in order to cover our costs in setting up and cancelling the insurance, so that it remains possible to continue to offer this insurance product in the future and at a competitive price.

You can contact the Pantaenius UK office:

Email: claims@pantaenius.co.uk

In writing: Marine Building, 1 Queen Anne Place, Plymouth, PL4 0RF

By phone: +44 (0)1752 226612

In emergency: +44 (0)1752 601166 (out of hours only)

You can also access and download a claim form here:

Claim Forms

As a skipper, especially if you are working on various boats or undertaking professional duties, you need Skipper Third Party Liability Insurance. This type of insurance is essential for protecting you from personal liability for damage or injury to third parties that may occur while you are skippering a boat. It acts as a safety net in case the boat's own liability insurance is inadequate or fails to cover certain claims. This insurance helps safeguard against potentially significant financial and legal repercussions.

Skipper liability insurance, otherwise known as Skipper Third Party Liability Insurance, covers your personal liability for damage or injury caused to third parties while you are skippering a boat. This includes:

Legal Liability: Protection against claims from third parties for property damage or personal injury.

Crew Liability: Cover for legal liabilities related to the injury or death of your crew members.

Accidental Pollution: Cover for legal liabilities arising from accidental water pollution.

It is important to note that this insurance does not cover damage to the boat you are skippering or provide protection for professional indemnity.

Skipper liability insurance, also known as Skipper Third Party Liability Insurance, is designed to protect skippers from personal liability for incidents that result in damage to property or injury to individuals while they are in command of a boat. It is contingent liability cover that activates when the boat's own third-party liability insurance does not respond or is insufficient. This insurance provides crucial protection for skippers who may face legal and financial claims arising from their duties, ensuring they are not left vulnerable to substantial personal losses.