26 July 2018

The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) is partnering with MHG Insurance to launch a survey of seafarers who work on superyachts to investigate welfare issues specific to the sector. Questions will be asked on food, cabins and communications, as well as the health and wellbeing of the men and women working on board. The survey has been designed to:

· highlight areas of welfare needs among seafarers on superyachts

· see what is working well under current conditions to meet their welfare needs, and what needs improvement

· explore how existing seafarers’ welfare structures may meet these needs and where there is scope for new provision

A recent survey commissioned by Yachting Pages Media Group found that 75% of crew surveyed said that the industry is not doing enough to tackle mental health problems and look after the overall wellbeing of crew.

‘Maritime welfare organisations are used to dealing with seafarers on cargo and cruise ships. The number of seafarers in the yacht sector has grown to around 35,000, and we need to know more about the challenges which are specific to the superyacht sector. As seafarers on superyachts are covered by the provisions of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention their welfare needs – at sea and ashore – should be better known and provided for,’ said Roger Harris, Executive Director of ISWAN.

Andrew Dudzinski, CEO of MHG Insurance, explained their support of this initiative: ‘The welfare of all crew, but especially those who are insured with MHG, is a primary concern for us. The mental and physical health and wellbeing of these seafarers is not just a professional interest. We want to know better what makes them tick and how their time at sea can be improved.’

Andrew Wright, Secretary General of the Mission to Seafarers, who are assisting with the distribution of the survey, said: ‘Yacht crew do an amazing job, catering to a small but very influential clientele, providing a phenomenal level of professionalism and service. For most crew this is a satisfying and wonderful job, but we need to see where improvements can be made.’

The results will be published in a report on the ISWAN website ( www.seafarerswelfare.org ) in December 2018.

For further information, please contact:

Tom Holmer

ISWAN, Croydon, UK

Telephone: +44 20 8253 0163

tom.holmer@iswan.org.uk

Mobile: +44 7807 311852 tom.holmer@iswan.org.uk tom.holmer@iswan.org.uk

Diana Gonzalez

MHG Insurance, Florida, USA

Telephone: +1 954 548 3581

dianag@mhginsurance.com

Mobile: +1 954 232 2957

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN): An international charity dedicated to the relief of need, hardship or distress amongst seafarers of all nationalities, races, colour and creeds irrespective of gender. seafarerswelfare.org

MHG Insurance: Established in 1991 in Miami, Florida, MHG Insurance is an independent, global, full service insurance brokerage and consultative facility. Through its extensive relationships with international underwriting markets, MHG develops and provides a full range of employee benefits, risk mitigation programs, property and casualty insurance and financial services all supported by comprehensive attention to service support for all of our clients. In the marine community, MHG is well known for its expertise in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) and developing MLC-aligned crew insurance solutions. In the U.S., MHG provides group and individual employee benefits along with advice on federal regulations regarding the Affordable Care Act. For more information about MHG Insurance and the services we provide, please visit mhginsurance.com

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.

Did you know that taking at least one trip a year, reduces your risk of heart disease by 30%? With a statistic like that, how can you not already have your bags packed?! Before you rush out to book your next trip, be sure to use our checklist below when making any decisions about travel insurance, as well as traveling abroad. Traveling abroad can create some of life’s greatest experiences. Seeing other countries, cultures, and people can create memories that can be shared for a lifetime. In order to ensure that those memories are happy ones, travel insurance should be on the top of your list before you book that flight.

Having an emergency while you're abroad can be a scary experience for many reasons. You are far from home, in a country that you do not know much about and may not know where to go in the event of an emergency. Maybe you don’t speak the language which could make it impossible to try and get assistance from a local. You don’t have the family/ friend support that you do at home. Travel insurance should provide you with the proper coverage to protect from an array of unplanned events that can really ruin a trip.

Travel Insurance Checklist

A good Travel Medical policy should include the following:

· Maximum plan limit of at least $1,000,000.

· Provide coverage in most countries around the world.

· Provide coverage for accidents, illness and the acute onset of a pre-existing condition.

· Emergency air/ground transportation to the nearest qualified hospital.

· 24-hour worldwide emergency assistance.

· Pre-trip health and safety advisories on your destination such as required vaccinations, health risks and travel restrictions, medical monitoring, provider referrals for Western-style medical facilities, medical and dental practices and pharmacies. Other useful services include travel document replacement, lost luggage assistance, emergency travel arrangements and translation services.

· Simple online enrollment.

· Easy claim submission.

Travel insurance benefits can vary and it's best to review a few different options from a reputable company to see which plan is best for you. Also, using an Insurance Broker can provide with you benefits that you may truly value. An insurance broker will typically work for you, the client, and offer you advice and assistant to getting the best l plan possible according to your budget. One reason they may be able to get you better coverage is because they represent several companies as opposed to just one. Their best interest is in the customer rather than the company. They can also assist you in with any claims you make and work on your behalf.

What should I Bring?

Once you purchase your travel insurance, you can begin fully to enjoying yourself and look forward to your adventure without having to worry about the unknown. Packing is very important, and be sure to include the following to make it as hassle free as possible:

1. Travel insurance card

2. Passport and visa

· Make sure the expiration date is not during your trip, also bring a copy of your passport for back up purposes

3. Flight itinerary

4. Immunization documents

5. A Full list of all accommodations

· Including addresses and phone numbers from all the locations you will be staying. Also be sure to include this information with a friend or family member who will be staying home.

7. Contact information for your country’s embassy or consulate in your destination

8. Emergency contacts

· It is smart to keep in touch with loved ones during your trip, checking in every so often.

9. Money

· Never have all of your cash in one place. Cash, cards, checks, passport, if you include them all in your day bag, and it happens to be misplaced or stolen, you may be stranded.

10. Map of where you will be going, along with a translation dictionary.

Once you have completed these checklists, you can officially kick back and enjoy your time. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures!

MHG Insurance Brokers wishes you safe travels along your journey. If you are interested in purchasing travel insurance, or have any questions or concerns, please contact us at +1 954 828 1819 or +44 (0)1624 678668 or visit us at mhginsurance.com. Our insurance brokers are experienced and can assist you in selecting the right plan for you, with the best value.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (July 3, 2018) – MHG Insurance announced today that Odin Bujeiro has joined the company’s IT Department as a Programmer. In this role, Bujeiro will develop, test, troubleshoot, and deploy solutions for MHG’s CRM System and web portal.

Bujeiro joins MHG with more than 20 years of experience as a programmer. Bujeiro previously worked as a Software Developer for a company specializing in vacation awards and incentives for the hospitality industry and more recently, as a Senior Software Engineer for a GPS tracking solutions company.

“Odin is a talented programmer and his skills are much needed as MHG continues to grow,” said Kevin Knorr, MHG’s IT Director. “His extensive knowledge and experience will only benefit our company and help us run more efficiently.”

MHG Insurance has been providing insurance guidance and solutions since 1991. The company has established an unrivalled reputation for providing quality insurance products that meet clients’ coverage requirements and budget.

About MHG Insurance

Established in 1991 in Miami, Florida, MHG Insurance is an independent, global, full-service insurance brokerage and consultative facility. Through its extensive relationships with international underwriting markets, MHG develops and provides a full range of employee benefits, risk mitigation programs, property and casualty insurance and financial services all supported by comprehensive attention to service support for all of our clients. In the marine community, MHG is well known for its expertise in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) and developing MLC-aligned crew insurance solutions. In the U.S., MHG provides group and individual employee benefits along with advice on federal regulations regarding the Affordable Care Act. For more information about MHG Insurance and the services we provide, please visit mhginsurance.com

There are two words no one ever wants to hear, you’re fired! Those words usually carry a little more sting hearing them from your boss. Being part of a yacht crew and losing your job can make for one mess that most people don’t look forward to cleaning up. Whether you were fired, laid off, quit, or are transitioning to a new job, having health insurance coverage through the process may not be the first thing on your mind. Typically, with loss of employment comes loss of health insurance. Maybe you didn’t realize that you lost your coverage in this process. If that is the case, don’t worry, there are four options you can chose from if you find yourself in this situation. Let’s break them down.

Go Naked

For those that are wondering, “Go Naked” doesn’t mean what you may be thinking. It means to go without insurance coverage, leaving you vulnerable and unprotected, or better yet, naked. We don’t recommend going through any stage of your life without coverage, but there are times when it may make sense. For example, if you lost your job as a part of a yacht crew, and you are going back to your home country, in some scenarios you can go back home to socialized coverage. In countries with socialized care, assuming you have been properly contributing, you’ll have coverage there. Other than that scenario, this option is probably not the one for you.

Elect COBRA (if available)

Some insurance plans, particularly the US based ones, will allow a crewmember to continue their insurance for up to 18 months after loss of employment. However, this is not widespread in yachting so you will need to ask about this option, should you wish to explore it. While the coverage will probably be better than a private plan that can get anywhere else, it unfortunately be probably also quite expensive. This may make it an unattractive option, particularly if you’re unemployed. However, if you have ongoing medical issues, this is an excellent option.

Purchase Travel Medical Insurance

The next insurance option for yachties without a job is to purchase travel insurance. Travel Medical insurance will typically offer insurance coverage all over the world, which is great for yachties who rarely know where they will be traveling in advance. There are limitations, however. Yes, you may have worldwide coverage, but it doesn’t usually include your home country. That is because travel insurance is designed to offer you coverage outside of your home country, under the assumption that you already have local insurance. It should also be said that is less costly than purchasing a full time insurance plan, partly because it only offers coverage for accidents and illness, not routine check-ups, appointments, etc.

Purchase a Full Time Plan

Your last insurance option is to purchase a full-time insurance plan. This is typically the same type of plan that you had when you were working, however there may be different amounts of coverage depending on what your budget is and what you feel you need coverage for. Also, depending on your previous job, you may not have had to pay for your insurance or only had to pay for a percentage. In this instance, you will be responsible for 100% of payment, but you get to choose the coverage you want. It is also important to mention that the plan will be yours no matter what yacht you’re on.

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 or have any questions about yacht crew insurance or travel 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. Don’t forget, the Palm Beach International Boat Show is this week, see you there!

Purchasing a Life Insurance policy isn’t something you do every day. The benefits and coverage it can provide for you and your loved ones in the event of a loss is irreplaceable, but with that being said, who wants to plan their “death.” We know this is a very sensitive subject, so we took the time to clear the air of some myths that we have heard about whole life insurance. Since purchasing life insurance can be a little unsettling, we wanted to make sure you are prepared and know exactly what you are getting yourself into, in order for you to make the best decision for you. So here are 5 myths that are associated with Whole Life Insurance.

1. Whole Life is too expensive!

Yes, a whole life premium is considerably more money than that of a term life insurance premium, depending on the value of the policy. However, there are some things to take into account. With term life insurance, you will not accumulate any value, once the term ends, you own nothing. As opposed to a whole life insurance policy, where your premiums will build a cash value that will belong to you at the end of the policy.
Also, another thing to consider is the total cost of a policy over your lifetime. Term is not designed to cover you for life, so when your term expires and you would like to purchase more coverage, the cost will increase. When putting the two types of policies together to compare, whole life is substantially less costly than a life time of premiums for term life insurance.

2. Only your beneficiaries will benefit!

While having life insurance helps protect your family in the event that something happens to you, your beneficiaries aren’t the only ones who benefit. A whole life policy can also be used as an investment option. Many times, you will have access to the policies’ cash value for withdrawals and loans which can be tax free. Also, certain companies will generally pay dividends to policy owners after the first policy year. Many times these dividends can be used to help pay premiums or purchase more permanent increments.

3. It’s a money pit!

One of the things that makes a whole life policy differ from a term policy is the fact that at the end of your policy, many times you will receive the value of your policy. Which can be a great investment decision for your financial portfolio, given the fact that it isn’t correlated to the stock market and mostly guaranteed by the insurer so death benefits and cash values aren’t affected by declining markets.

4. Cash in your policy once you retire!

Back in the day, many people would cash in their life insurance policy when they retired. However, today that is the time when many start to realize the importance of it. Having a whole life policy in your financial strategy could provide you security, financial freedom, as well as a legacy for loved ones.

5. Once you buy Life Insurance, you don’t have to think about it ever again!

Performing maintenance on your policy can save you money. Health changes can sometimes lead to lower premiums. Also, policies with loans and withdrawals, if not managed correctly can hinder some long term provisions and guarantees. Performing regular maintenance may also link your advisors together, which can help build a team around you with strengthened relationships, putting everyone on the same page for your investments, taxes, and your estate.

MHG Insurance Brokers is dedicated to making your Insurance experience as stress free and informative as possible. We have insurance specialists with the experience and knowledge to get the best coverage to fit you, your family, and loved ones. If you are interested in purchasing Life Insurance, have any questions, or need advice, please contact us at 954 828 1819 or visit our website at mhginsurance.com.

In today’s increasingly litigious society, business owners operate under the constant threat of lawsuits from employees, on a variety of issues. The proliferation of federal, state, and local employment laws has created a plethora of exposures that can leave your business vulnerable to costly litigation. Businesses of all sizes are at risk: whether you are the head of a large corporation or the owner of a small neighborhood company, once you hire your first employee, you expose your company to the possibility of a lawsuit.

An Employment Practices Liability Insurance Policy provides necessary protection for your business.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) protects your business, its directors, officers, and employees, providing coverage for the legal costs and damages associated with claims by current, former, and potential employees for a number of employment-related allegations, including:

• Wrongful dismissal
• Sexual harassment
• Hostile work environment
• Invasion of privacy
• Denial of promotion
• Failure to make partner
• Age, race, gender, or sexual orientation discrimination
• Failure to accommodate the needs of the disabled

The number of employment related lawsuits filed each year is rising.

Cases against employers are on the rise. According to the best industry estimate, 3 out of 5 businesses will be sued by an employee. Companies are now vulnerable from the first contact with a potential employee, from the pre-hiring process through the exit interview, even if the potential employee was never hired or was only with the company for a few days.

A single employee can sink your entire company.

No matter how vigilant you are, you cannot monitor every hire, termination, and conversation that takes place in your offices. Any misbehavior by your employees - a careless remark, inappropriate joke, or slightly mishandled termination – can be the basis of a lawsuit with the potential to bankrupt your business. There are steps you can take to minimize exposure, such as requiring attendance at workplace relations training sessions, implementing a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment, and establishing formal procedures for hiring, firing, and disciplining employees, but there is no way to ensure your company’s safety.

Defending against discrimination lawsuits, even groundless ones, is expensive.

Legal costs accrue at an incredibly fast rate during business litigation. The average cost to have a meritless lawsuit dismissed is between $10,000 and $15,000. If a slight concern about your company’s possible culpability causes you to agree to a quick settlement, expect expenses of $10,000 to $50,000. Costs rise sharply if there is any merit to the case against your company, with the costs of settlement and defense soaring to $150,000, $200,000, or more. Should your company be served with this type of lawsuit, your EPLI coverage reacts with legal defenses that may be included within or outside of the policy limits and would react to settlements and judgments awarded to the accuser.

Now that you have a better understanding of the many reasons why business owners should consider an Employment Practices Liability Insurance Policy, you can rely on MHG Insurance to ensure that you and your business are fully protected. The Insurance Specialists at MHG understand that every business is unique. We have the experience and resources to assemble a complete insurance plan that includes all the business insurance policies your company should have, including Commercial Property Insurance, Workers’ Compensation, Business and General Liability Insurance, and more. Call us today at 954-828-1819 or visit us online at mhginsurance.com, and let our Insurance Specialists show you how to protect your business from the expense of costly lawsuits and other risks.

You’re fired! Two words no one wants to hear. Losing your job is a reality that some of us may have to deal with one day, whether we like it or not. The main reaction of someone losing their job is questioning where their income is going to come from. How will I pay the bills? How will I buy food? With careful planning, should that day arise, you would have saved some money and created a safety net for yourself until you land another job. Even with savings set aside to cover the necessities, one thing that is sometimes put on the back burner is a loss of benefits offered by your employer. We have some options you may want to consider.

COBRA/State Continuation

If you loved the coverage that your employer offered, there is good news. You may be able to keep your plan through COBRA continuation coverage. COBRA is a federal law that was implemented to let you pay to keep you and your family on your employer’s health insurance after your employment has been terminated. This applies to employees of companies that employ 20 or more employees. State continuation sometimes called mini Cobra in essence serves the same purpose which is to extend employer coverage after separation. Main difference is Cobra is a federal program while state continuation is mandated by the state. It is good to note that this is only for a limited time, usually a maximum of 18 months. Also, you typically pay a higher premium than the one you were paying while employed because your employer is no longer contributing towards your premium.

Marketplace

If you have lost your job for any reason, whether you were laid-off or you quit, you can buy a plan from the healthcare marketplace. Now I know what you’re thinking, the marketplace is only open during open enrollment. However, losing your job qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period. This gives you the opportunity to purchase a plan that is acceptable under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), thus keeping you from paying an extra tax/penalty the following year for not having proper insurance. You may also qualify for tax credits and subsidies based on a number of factors.

Short-term Medical Plan

If you lose your job in the middle of the year, you still have some time before open enrollment begins. This will leave a gap in your medical coverage, which not only leaves you unprotected, but also liable to pay the healthcare tax. If you don’t want to purchase an ACA private healthcare plan, you can purchase a short-term medical plan which can give you coverage for up to one year. Though you should know, short-term medical plans do not meet the minimum benefit requirement and will not prevent you from paying a penalty.

Spouse’s Insurance

If your spouse or domestic partner’s company offers health insurance as a benefit, there is a good chance that they offer the same coverage to you. You may have to pay more than they do in order to be on their plan, partly because employers are required by law to cover 50% of the insurance premiums for employees and 0% for spouses even though they may choose to pay more.

MHG has the insurance specialists to advise and assist you in choosing the best health insurance that suits you, your family, or your group. Our team of brokers have the experience to get you the coverage that fits you and your budget. If you are interested in reviewing your health insurance options, please contact us at 954 828 1819 or visit our website at mhginsurance.com.

As has been broadly reported, the French government implemented legislation in 2017 requiring employers of French resident crew to pay into ENIM, the French social system fund for seafarers.

THE ISSUE

Applicable to both commercial and private vessels, the intent of the French government
is reportedly to align seafarers with other French residents in regard to social security
protection. By ratifying MLC, France committed itself to providing its resident seafarers
on commercial vessels with access to all nine branches of social security, yet the reality
is that ENIM is only set up to deal with employers rather than individual seafarers and, as
ENIM have stated to us, only an exceedingly small number of foreign employers have
sought to arrange contributions in respect of their French resident crew, leaving many
others with no way of either paying into or enjoying the benefits of the social system
scheme to which they are entitled. The most publicised case which triggered the
legislation was that of the French crew employed on the Condor Ferries services out of
St. Malo. France has attempted to address that flaw in the system by requiring foreign
employers to pay into ENIM in respect of their French resident crew (with certain
exceptions). An employer who fails to fulfil that obligation risks serious sanctions and it is
doubtful that the French authorities will be understanding of employers simply claiming
ignorance as to the residency of their crew.

THE IMPACT

This legislation has, however, had serious economic consequences for France with the
French shipyards as well as many other businesses which depend on the yachting sector
suffering catastrophic losses of business (compounded by separate issues relating to
VAT on fuel). There is also widespread talk of French resident seafarers being avoided
by yacht employers. In a first attempt to stem the bleeding, an amendment was
implemented in January 2018 which allowed employers to use a private scheme rather
than contribute to ENIM but only if the private scheme provides “equivalent protection”
to that provided by the French social security code. This is, however, of limited help
because the French authorities, including ENIM, are resisting any requests for them to
deem a particular private scheme to be compliant and indeed all indications are that this
will not change in the future. As such, any claims from crew insurance providers that a
particular plan is “compliant” in this context should be treated with a healthy dose of
scepticism and caution! Private international schemes serve an important purpose but
they do have limitations too, some of which risk leading to dissatisfaction in the long-run
amongst seafarers relying on them as a stand-alone solution rather than in combination
with a home country social system.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Much of the concern surrounding this issue has focused on the fear of port state control
inspections. With limited resources, it seems highly unlikely to us that port state control
inspections will in fact present the greatest risk of unwanted attention by the authorities
in this regard. If an inspector finds a properly maintained Maritime Labour Certificate and
DMLC, it is questionable whether they will be digging any further than that unless there
has been a complaint from a seafarer and that, in fact, is where we see a far greater risk.
So, while it is worth considering carrying a Maritime Labour Certificate and DMLC even if
not required to do so (e.g. the vessel is under 500gt), even more importantly it would be
advisable for employers to ask their seafarers to state their country ties and document
those answers. This could be as brief as asking the seafarer to state their country of
residence but could also encompass other ties such as the repatriation destination and
the country of the bank account to which the salary is being paid. The seafarer should be
required to notify the employer in the event of changes to this information. Where the
answers indicate that the seafarer may be a French resident, advice can be sought and
contributions to ENIM can be arranged if appropriate. Where the answers do not
indicate French residency, the employer now has back-up documentation showing good
faith in the event of the seafarer later seeking to claim that the employer has failed to
arrange the necessary contributions to ENIM. We understand that some employers are
already requiring their seafarers to answer such questions.

WHAT’S NEXT

The French social system rules themselves do talk of the concepts of “stable” and
“regular” residence in France, “stable” meaning that it is continuous for three months or
more (to be documented by, for example, confirmation of rent payments, electricity
bills, phone bills etc.) while “regular” is a requirement for non-EU citizens and means that
the individual must have an appropriate “titre de séjour”. British crew working on a
foreign (non-EU) flagged vessel but living in shore-based accommodation in France are
the sort of situation that does need to be more fully understood on an individual basis
in order to minimise the risk of problems and again a questionnaire about country ties
can help with this.

CONTACT

Looking forward, further developments are expected to try to curb the unintended
consequences to the French economy and seafarers. Meanwhile, any other countries
trying to figure out how to fulfil their social security obligations under MLC will no doubt
be watching carefully in an effort to avoid similar challenges.

For more information, please contact Peter Dudzinski at peterd@mhginsurance.eu or
Mark Bononi at markb@mhginsurance.com.

Whether it’s the Deckhand that sustained serious head trauma from a motorcycle accident while ashore on boat’s business or the Captain that experienced a severe heart attack while on vacation, MHG has seen a wide array of yacht crew insurance claims over the past 20 plus years. While these examples are tragic and catastrophic, it is also important to be prepared for the more common yacht crew insurance claims that can be less serious but have the potential to keep you off work.

Knee Injuries

Knee injuries are responsible for a large percentage of the insurance claims filed by yachties. Yacht crew perform their duties while balancing on moving decks, which exposes them to an increased risk of incurring a serious knee injury while performing seemingly safe activities. Some of the more adventurous crew leisure activities, such as scuba and other water and winter sports, can result in knee injuries that may not be covered by standard crew insurance policies; make sure your comprehensive yacht crew insurance policy specifically includes coverage for your favorite leisure activities.

Hernia, Back, and Shoulder Injuries

Repetitive strain injuries are often seen in crews on yachts, as they are constantly performing similar tasks in the same small spaces. Hernia, back, and shoulder injuries abound; yacht crewmembers may need to undergo surgery as well as a considerable number of physical therapy sessions in order to make a full recovery from these injuries. Injured crew members may be unable to work for extended periods of time as they undergo physical therapy and rehabilitation. This can leave yacht crew in a financially precarious position unless they have marine disability income insurance in place to provide a significant portion of their salary while they are recuperating.

Gastrointestinal Issues and Other Illnesses

Gastrointestinal issues and regional illnesses are some of the most common medical hazards faced by yacht crews. Food poisoning, unclean water, local parasites, and diet changes can result in serious gastrointestinal issues that can necessitate on-shore doctor visits and even hospital stays. Make certain you have an international health insurance policy from a carrier that has resources to provide information in the particular regions to which you will be traveling and has, or can, establish doctor and hospital relationships, to ensure you have access to qualified care wherever you are in the world. Selecting the right yacht crew insurance plan can be difficult.

The experienced Insurance Specialists at MHG Insurance Brokers will help you sort through the terminology and key features to determine the best plan for your unique circumstances, coverage requirements, and budget. Once you have chosen a policy, we will continue to assist you with questions about the coverage it provides and guide you throughout the claims process.

MHG Insurance Brokers offers a wide range of yacht crew insurance plans including international health insurance, US health insurance, sick pay/disability insurance, life insurance, and travel insurance. Solutions for individuals, groups, and fleets are available. Call MHG Insurance Brokers today at +1 954 828 1819 or +44 (0) 1624 678668 or visit us online at mhginsurance.com to find the yacht crew health insurance plan that perfectly meets your needs.