Contents insurance - rental houseboat

[Anoula]

Hello, 

 

I was hoping someone could recommend a home and contents insurer for a houseboat rental. It has a permenant moorning and doesn't move, but I dont need full insurance for the boat because it's only a rental, and the landlord had the full insurance for the boat itself. 

 

I seem to be going around in circles trying to find something appropriate. 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[mrsmelly]

Have you tried the usual big names such as euromarine or GJW?

[Anoula]

I have no idea where to start. This is my first foray into the world of houseboats and have been going down the garden path with google. I'll give them a go. Thanks! 

[ditchcrawler]

Are you sure the boat owner has the correct insurance to cover the boat?

[Anoula]

Yeah he's put quite a lot into restoring it and fitting it out. 

[matty40s]

What he means is has he got the correct insurance covering letting tenants!!

[Anoula]

Yes but that wouldn't cover my contents like laptops, cameras, jewellery etc I wouldn't have thought.

[Alan de Enfield]

The point that is being made is that before you can hire a boat out the owner must have :

 

A Boat Rental Safety Certificate (a higher standard than a standard Safety Certificate)

A Landlords Gas Certificate

A Commercial Boat Licence covering a Hire Boat

A Commercial Insurance for a Hire Boat.

 

If any of these are missing then the boat is being rented illegally, this would mean that any insurance you take out would be invalidated.

 

You should ask to see the above documents before renting the boat.

[Anoula]

Thank you for this information. I believe he does have all this.

 

With the above in mind, in the case that he can provide, do I have the ability to take out seperate contents insurance? It sounds like a no. 

 

 

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The point that is being made is that before you can hire a boat out the owner must have :

 

A Boat Rental Safety Certificate (a higher standard than a standard Safety Certificate)

A Landlords Gas Certificate

A Commercial Boat Licence covering a Hire Boat

A Commercial Insurance for a Hire Boat.

 

If any of these are missing then the boat is being rented illegally, this would mean that any insurance you take out would be invalidated.

 

You should ask to see the above documents before renting the boat.

 

Point of Order M'Lud....

 

If the boat is displaying the appropriate commercial hiring licence, then the OP will know the correct commercial insurance is held by the boatlord, as this the licence is conditional on holding it. 

 

 

[MtB]

8 minutes ago, Anoula said:

Thank you for this information. I believe he does have all this.

 

With the above in mind, in the case that he can provide, do I have the ability to take out seperate contents insurance? It sounds like a no. 

 

 

 

Its a tricky one without a 'stock' answer, as it is very rare for a boatlord to actually have the correct licence etc once it is looked into properly. 

 

I'd say you need a proper old-fashioned "insurance agent" who has direct contacts within insurance companies (called underwriters) who will assess an individual risk and create a policy to cover it. I suspect by using the internet to search all you are reaching is customised front ends for insurance comparison sites.   

 

Edit to add:

 

This all assumes, possibly incorrectly, the house boat is on CRT waters. Is it? 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Mike the Boilerman

[Anoula]

Just now, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Its a tricky one without a 'stock' answer, as it is very rare for a boatlord to actually have the correct licence etc once it is looked into properly. 

 

I'd say you need a proper old-fashioned "insurance agent" who has direct contacts within insurance companies (called underwriters) who will assess an individual risk and create a policy to cover it. I suspect by using the internet to search all you are reaching is customised front ends for insurance comparison sites.   

 

 

Thank you Mike, that makes sense. Will get on the phone. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Its a tricky one without a 'stock' answer, as it is very rare for a boatlord to actually have the correct licence etc once it is looked into properly. 

 

I'd say you need a proper old-fashioned "insurance agent" who has direct contacts within insurance companies (called underwriters) who will assess an individual risk and create a policy to cover it. I suspect by using the internet to search all you are reaching is customised front ends for insurance comparison sites.   

 

Edit to add:

 

This all assumes, possibly incorrectly, the house boat is on CRT waters. Is it? 

...It's a permemant mooring on the Thames in zone 1 and doesn't move. Doesn't even have an engine. Would that be the same? 

 

 

[MtB]

7 minutes ago, Anoula said:

Thank you Mike, that makes sense. Will get on the phone. 

 

 

...It's a permemant mooring on the Thames in zone 1 and doesn't move. Doesn't even have an engine. Would that be the same? 

 

 

 

Nope. Ignore all the comments about commercial licences! 

 

We are canal peeps here mostly, rather than Thames people, but I believe the Environment Agency (who administer the Thames) have a 'house boat' class of licence which is nothing like as demanding as the canal equivalent. 

 

My comments about finding a traditional insurance agent or broker still hold. Another approach is ask the neighbours - they must have had the same problems and will tell you the score. 

 

[Anoula]

2 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Nope. Ignore all the comments about commercial licences! 

 

We are canal peeps here mostly, rather than Thames people, but I believe the Environment Agency (who administer the Thames) have a 'house boat' class of licence which is nothing like as demanding as the canal equivalent. 

 

My comments about finding a traditional insurance agent or broker still hold. Another approach is ask the neighbours - they must have had the same problems and will tell you the score. 

 

Thanks so much. I'm an Australian yacht sailer so a bit out of my depth! 

 

Will take your advice! 

[roland elsdon]

5 minutes ago, Anoula said:

Thank you Mike, that makes sense. Will get on the phone. 

 

 

...It's a permemant mooring on the Thames in zone 1 and doesn't move. Doesn't even have an engine. Would that be the same? 

 

 

No. You are looking at something very different from the canal system.

years ago I worked in inland waterways insurance. Living on boats was much less popular in those days, and stand alone contents difficult.

 

2 suggestions

1) find out who the landlord insures the hull with and ask them. By insuring the hull they have a far better idea of its condition and the risks than a third party insurer, whi has no idea if you are attempting to get insurance on  contents on potential sinker

2 ) look up worldwide personal insurance Endsleigh may help

 

[Anoula]

1 minute ago, roland elsdon said:

No. You are looking at something very different from the canal system.

years ago I worked in inland waterways insurance. Living on boats was much less popular in those days, and stand alone contents difficult.

 

2 suggestions

1) find out who the landlord insures the hull with and ask them. By insuring the hull they have a far better idea of its condition and the risks than a third party insurer, whi has no idea if you are attempting to get insurance on  contents on potential sinker

2 ) look up worldwide personal insurance Endsleigh may help

 

Good idea. There must be a way of doing it! I'll chat to the landlord about his. 

[MtB]

15 minutes ago, Anoula said:

...It's a permemant mooring on the Thames in zone 1

 

Zone 1? Is that on the tidal Thames?

 

If so, then I'm pretty sure no licence is required which means you have no way of knowing if the boat itself is insured, other than by asking the boatlord to give you the deets.

 

And what Roland says makes sense.  Do ask any neighouring boats you have, this might short-cut through a load of researching time. 

 

 

[roland elsdon]

If you are not a british resident you are pretty sunk... had a hell of a job getting our current boat insured  when we were working and living as Oz residents and coming to uk during holidays. That was inspite of 25 years claim free in uk prior to emigrating.

in the end we had ‘special conditions’ on the insurance.

[MtB]

44 minutes ago, Anoula said:

Yes but that wouldn't cover my contents like laptops, cameras, jewellery etc I wouldn't have thought.

 

Where exactly is this static boat, full of laptops, cameras and jewellery etc? Just curious....

[Dr Bob]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

Have you tried the usual big names such as euromarine or GJW?

Smelly, wot a wonderful avatar!

I noticed it had crept in today.

Great stuff. 

Hats off and all that.

........back to bote insurance.

[Anoula]

24 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

If you are not a british resident you are pretty sunk... had a hell of a job getting our current boat insured  when we were working and living as Oz residents and coming to uk during holidays. That was inspite of 25 years claim free in uk prior to emigrating.

in the end we had ‘special conditions’ on the insurance.

Resident (on land)  of 6 years with settled status. 

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, Anoula said:

Resident (on land)  of 6 years with settled status. 

 

Home and dry then, to coin a phrase....

 

[dor]

If you find someone who says they will insure your property, check very carefully the T&Cs regarding valuables like jewellery and laptops.  Many boat insurances exclude them as boats are not considered secure enough.  They may cover specific items if you declare them, for an appropriate fee of course.

[roland elsdon]

Look marine insurance

Www.Aplan.co.uk

 

very helpful  with our boat.

Based in worcester

[David Mack]

Try Michael Stimpson at http://www.insurance-marine.co.uk. Although he has left Towrrgate he is still sorting out marine insurance for the less straightforward cases.