Yacht delivery insurance and contracts: what owners actually need before handing over the keys
A plain-English guide for yacht owners: what your hull insurance requires during a paid delivery, what a sensible delivery contract looks like, and the five questions to ask your captain before slipping lines.
TL;DR, most yacht insurance policies cover a paid delivery only if the captain holds the licence the policy specifies (typically a Yachtmaster Offshore or higher for offshore work, an MCA Master 200 or Captain 200 for commercial cover), the route fits the navigation limits in your policy, and the captain is named on cover or accepts named-skipper terms in writing. Boat Gigs does not provide contracts or insurance, but most professional captains carry a delivery agreement and ask you for the relevant policy excerpt before the boat moves. This guide walks through what to verify before you hand over the keys.
The honest reason owners worry about this: an uninsured passage on a 14-metre cruiser is a six-figure mistake. Spending an hour up front avoids it.
What does my yacht insurance actually require during a paid delivery?
Three things, in this order:
1. A named, qualified skipper in command. Almost every cruising policy lists a minimum competency standard (RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is the most common in Europe, USCG OUPV or higher in the US). Some policies name the skipper specifically, others accept a skipper "of equivalent experience" with prior approval. If your policy uses "named skipper", call your broker the moment you've shortlisted a captain. A 24-hour approval window is normal.
2. The route inside your navigation limits. Cruising policies are sold with geographic limits ("UK, NW Europe", "Mediterranean", "Atlantic crossing zone"). A North-Sea-only policy does not cover a delivery to Mallorca. Check the schedule of cover for the exact wording before you post your gig, and tell the captain what the limits are.
3. A passage plan and weather assessment on file. Many insurers do not require this in writing, but they expect it to exist. A professional captain will produce one without being asked. If yours does not, ask. It is the cheapest piece of due diligence in the entire process.
Which licences do common European insurers expect?
This is the question we get most. Below is a snapshot of what underwriters tend to require for sailing yachts in 2026. Verify with your own broker, this is a starting point, not legal advice.
| Insurer / market segment | Typical minimum for paid delivery |
|---|---|
| Pantaenius (cruising sail, < 60 ft) | RYA Yachtmaster Offshore + 2,500 nm logged |
| Topsail (UK cruising) | RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or commercially endorsed |
| Y.YACHT (German market) | SBF See + SKS for inland/coastal; SSS / SHS for offshore |
| EOS Risq (charter/commercial) | MCA Master 200 or Master Yacht <500 GT |
| Allianz Marine (US) | USCG OUPV minimum, Master 100 GT preferred for Atlantic |
| Lloyd's brokered (large yacht) | RYA Yachtmaster Ocean or MCA Master Yachts ≤ 3000 GT |
If your captain's licence appears on this list, the conversation with your broker is short. If not, ask the broker for an equivalency note in writing.
What should a sensible delivery contract include?
A professional captain almost always has their own template. If yours does not, here is the minimum we recommend. You can copy this into an email or print it.
1. Parties and the vessel. Owner name and address, captain name and address, vessel name, registration, hull identification number (HIN), length overall, year. 2. Route and dates. Departure port, destination port, departure window, expected arrival window. Note any waypoints or scheduled stops. 3. Compensation. Day rate, total fee, or per-mile rate. Fuel arrangement (paid as you go or capped). Captain's return travel (flight, train, or per-diem). On-board provisioning (captain spends and reconciles). 4. Crew. Who else is on board, what they are paid, and who is responsible for hiring them. If the captain brings crew, the captain is usually the employer of that crew, not you. 5. Licences and insurance evidence. Captain confirms in writing which licence covers the passage, and acknowledges your insurance excerpt. If they bring professional indemnity, attach the certificate. 6. Damage, loss, and liability cap. Most professional captains accept liability for damage caused by gross negligence, not for ordinary perils. Your hull insurance carries the rest, that is what you pay premiums for. State that the captain will exercise the same care a prudent owner would exercise. 7. Cancellation. Who pays what if the owner cancels (a day-rate deposit is normal) and if the captain cancels (full refund, plus a reasonable substitute search clause). 8. Daily updates and safety. A short clause: captain provides a daily position and well-being update by SMS, WhatsApp, or satellite messenger. Owner stays reachable.
A four-page contract on plain paper does more for both sides than a sixty-page agreement nobody reads.
What does insurance *not* cover, even with the right paperwork?
This is where owners get caught.
- Items not declared on the policy schedule. New electronics installed without an updated schedule are usually excluded.
- Wear, tear, and gradual deterioration. A sail that blows out from age is not covered, even if it blew out mid-delivery.
- Crew injury. Your hull policy covers the boat, not the people. If the captain or crew is injured, that is their personal accident cover or the captain's professional indemnity, not yours. Confirm both sides have something in place.
- Cargo and personal effects. If you've stowed valuables on board for the passage, declare them or remove them.
- War, strikes, malicious acts, sanctions zones. Standard policy exclusions. The Red Sea and parts of the Black Sea are currently outside most cover.
Five questions to ask your captain before slipping lines
1. What licence are you sailing under for this passage, and may I have a copy? 2. Do you carry professional indemnity insurance, and what is the limit? 3. What is your passage plan and the weather window you're working with? 4. Who is on board with you, and how are they paid and insured? 5. What is your protocol if the weather closes in or the boat develops a fault mid-passage?
If any of those answers feel vague, slow down. A captain who is irritated by these questions is a captain who has not done many deliveries.
Where Boat Gigs fits
Boat Gigs is the place where you and your captain meet and start the conversation. We do not provide contracts, insurance, escrow, or warranties. Every captain on the platform has a public profile listing the licences they hold, the boats they've sailed, and miles logged, so you can do the homework before you message them.
If you'd like a sample contract template emailed to you, or a checklist for the licence conversation with your broker, post your delivery and mention it in the description. The founder reads every gig and will send the template back the same day.
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