Having insurance is a necessity in today’s world, whether you work on land or on water. There are so many different types of insurance available to you, many times it can be confusing what you should be including in your plan. Even more so for yachties! Yacht crew need a different insurance plan than normal, because they live a completely different lifestyle that those who are land based. Also, crew may be traveling around the world rather than staying in one country. So, if you’re a crew member, here are 5 things you should be thinking about when purchasing crew insurance.
1. All crew insurance policies ARE NOT created equal.
There are many different types of crew insurance. You can have coverage for a variety of different things depending on what your preferences are and the yacht owner’s needs. Just keep in mind, the more coverage you have, the more you are protected.
2. Price should not be the first or only thing you look at.
Although you may not want to pay more for more coverage, you may want to rethink your strategy. Anything can happen while at sea, so it may be a smarter idea to have a more comprehensive plan that offers better coverage in the event that there is an emergency or something tragic happens, which may do even more damage to your wallet. After all, your health and safety should be a bigger priority than trying to save a buck.
3. Work with a specialized broker.
It is important to work with a specialized broker when buying crew insurance, because, as stated before, there are so many intricacies in a crew insurance plan. There are certain liabilities that need to be covered that a normal broker may not think to include in your plan. Also, a broker will work for you to get you the best package for you and your crew, and also work for you when needing to file a claim. Many agents can sign their clients up for a policies and not fully understand the conditions of the policy that could leave the owner exposed. So you don’t have to stress, let the experts handle it!
4. Crew insurance means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.
What does crew insurance mean to you? Crew insurance is not P & I insurance and not personal accident insurance, it is a type of medical insurance. Believe it or not, there are group and individual crew plans. Sometimes owners will leave it up to the crew to fend for themselves when selecting insurance and reimburse them up to a certain amount. This can make things tricky because there will be a lack of uniformity on board, with crew members having different plans from different companies. If that is the case, be sure to know the contact information for their insurance in the event of an emergency.
5. Having proper crew insurance is YOUR responsibility.
Having proper insurance is your responsibility. Not that of the yacht owner. As stated earlier, there are instances where the owner leaves it up to you to insure yourself and will reimburse you up to a certain amount. Just because you are working on a yacht, doesn’t automatically mean you have coverage.
MHG is your specialized broker when it comes to crew insurance. Our insurance specialists have the knowledge and experience to find the policy that works best for you. If you are interested in purchasing crew insurance, or would like some advice, please contact us at +1 954 828 1819 or +44 (0) 1624 678668 or visit us online at mhginsurance.com.