Essential Travel Insurance for Cruising Sailors

In a Nutshell...

If you're an ocean sailor planning to venture into international waters, a standard travel insurance policy just won't cut it. What you need is a bespoke policy designed specifically for the unique risks of offshore cruising. It ensures you have the necessary medical, evacuation, and repatriation cover that most insurers exclude the moment you leave coastal waters. Don't risk your financial security for a cheap policy; always check the fine print to ensure you're covered in both territorial and international waters.

The True Cost of a Cheap Policy
Don't Confuse Travel Insurance with Boat Insurance
Why Standard Travel Insurance is a Non-Starter
Finding a Bespoke Sailing Travel Insurance Policy
Summing Up
Frequently Asked Questions

The True Cost of a Cheap Policy

When Mary and I first started cruising further afield, we gave serious thought to our travel insurance. After all, offshore sailing is a risky business. We're not risk-averse—otherwise we wouldn't be sailors—but we do believe in mitigating what we can and insuring against what we can't. A big risk is a serious illness or accident in a foreign country, especially one without reciprocal healthcare arrangements with your home nation. The worst-case scenario? A medical evacuation flight, or "Medivac," back to a country with decent private medical facilities. Without proper insurance, that single flight and ensuing hospitalisation could wipe out your cruising budget, your boat, and maybe even your home.

Some years ago, we noticed our building society offered a travel insurance policy that seemed remarkably cheap. Warning bells should have been ringing loudly, but we thought we were asking all the right questions.

"Does it cover us for sailing our own boat in the West Indies?" we asked.

"Yes," they said.

"Even when we're sailing between the islands?" we pressed.

"Yes," they said, "as long as you don't go outside territorial waters."

We intended to sail the Caribbean island chain from Anguilla to Trinidad, which meant we'd mostly be in one country's territorial waters or another. We convinced ourselves that the time spent in international waters would be short, and the risk of an injury or illness during that brief period was acceptable. So, we signed up. Fortunately, that particular cruise went off without a hitch and we never needed to make a claim.

We lived in this "fools' paradise" for a couple of seasons. The following year, when we spoke to our friendly building society man again, we asked the same questions and got similar answers. But this time, I pushed him on the territorial/international waters bit.

Boy, had we been deluding ourselves! It turned out that the moment we left the territorial waters of the first island and entered international waters on passage to the next, our entire insurance policy would have become IMMEDIATELY & TOTALLY INVALID. Our 'cheap' travel insurance could have turned out to be very expensive indeed.

Further research revealed that even many major, standard travel insurance companies couldn't provide the cover we required.

Don't Confuse Travel Insurance with Boat Insurance

It's a common point of confusion, but your personal sailing travel insurance is not the same as your boat insurance policy.

Sailing Travel Insurance: This policy covers you & your crew. Its purpose is to protect you against personal risks such as medical emergencies, accidents, medical evacuation, and personal liability while you are on the water, travelling to & from your boat, or ashore. It is a personal injury insurance policy.

Boat Insurance: This policy covers your vessel. Its purpose is to protect your boat from damage, theft, or liability caused by your boat to other vessels or property. While it may have some limited personal accident cover, it is not designed to cover the full spectrum of medical expenses and repatriation costs that a travel policy provides.

Thinking of them as two separate, essential layers of protection is the best approach. One covers the people; the other covers the boat. Don't ever rely on one to do the job of the other.

Why Standard Travel Insurance is a Non-Starter

Standard travel insurance is designed for holidaymakers. It's built for those who fly to a destination, stay in a hotel, and maybe do a few day trips. It's not tailored for the unique complexities of offshore life. Here’s a breakdown of the key areas where a standard policy falls short:

Geographical Limits: As we found out, most standard policies have strict limits on how far you can be from shore, often just 12 nautical miles. For cruising sailors, this is a deal-breaker. A passage from one island to the next can take you well into international waters, instantly invalidating your cover.

Lack of Medevac & Repatriation Cover: Medical evacuation from a remote location to a hospital on land is incredibly expensive, often running into tens of thousands of pounds. Repatriation back to your home country adds to that cost. A standard policy rarely, if ever, covers these costs for offshore sailors.

Exclusions for Sailing Activities: While some policies may cover "water sports," they typically exclude crewing a vessel offshore, especially if you're the skipper or owner. They're meant for a quick paddleboard, not a multi-day passage.

Finding a Bespoke Sailing Travel Insurance Policy

Older now, and wiser—and it's a sad fact that the older you get, the more expensive sailing travel insurance becomes—we bite the bullet and pay for the comprehensive cover that only a bespoke policy can provide. This is just one of many important considerations when planning a cruise. For more key information on what to expect, from weather to navigation, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide to Sailing in the Caribbean: Information for Skippers & Crew.

We've found that some specialist marine insurance companies, like Pantaenius, offer separate policies that are purpose-built for sailorsand are specifically designed for yachting holidays, sailing rallies, and longer trips, whether you're using your own boat as a base or working as crew.

This type of policy includes all the usual travel insurance benefits, but with additional, crucial sailing-related coverage:

Worldwide coverage: It covers sailing worldwide, both inside and outside territorial waters

Medical & Emergency Transport: It includes cover for emergency medical treatment on board or ashore, as well as the high costs of medical evacuation and repatriation.

Accident Cover: Many bespoke policies offer cover for accidents and personal liability while on board, ensuring you're protected should an incident occur.

This peace of mind is invaluable, especially when you're far from home and a medical emergency is the last thing you want to worry about.

Summing Up

Being based in the UK but spending months at a time cruising the Caribbean, I can’t stress enough the importance of getting the right sailing travel insurance policy. It’s not just a box to tick before you leave; it’s an essential piece of safety equipment. The potential for a standard policy to become null and void the moment you hit international waters is a risk you simply shouldn't take. Spending a little more on a bespoke, specialised policy gives you the peace of mind to truly enjoy your time on the water, knowing that should the worst happen, you're properly protected.

This article was written by Dick McClary, RYA Yachtmaster and author of 'Offshore Sailing' published by the Royal Yachting Association ( RYA) and member of The Yachting Journalists Association (YJA).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is standard travel insurance enough for a sailing holiday?

No, in most cases, it is not. Standard policies typically have strict geographical limitations, often excluding cover once you are a certain distance from shore or in international waters.

What is the key difference between sailing & standard travel insurance?

Sailing-specific travel insurance is designed to cover the unique risks of offshore cruising, including extended periods in international waters and medical evacuation, which are usually excluded from standard policies.

Will my yacht insurance cover me?

Your yacht hull insurance protects your vessel, but it rarely provides adequate personal medical cover for the crew. You need a separate, dedicated travel insurance policy that covers you as an individual.

How much does bespoke sailing travel insurance cost?

The cost varies greatly depending on your age, the duration of your trip, and the destinations you plan to visit. While more expensive than a standard policy, it is a small price to pay for proper protection.

What should I look for in a sailing travel insurance policy?

Look for a policy that explicitly covers sailing in both territorial and international waters, includes medical evacuation & repatriation, and covers personal liability. Make sure to read the policy wording carefully before you buy.