Austalian Liability Insurance Requirements?

[Trim50]

I am in the process of getting this season's Blue Water Insurance coverage as we plan to sail Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Australia. The insurance coverage that I am being quoted tells me that I need $10,000,000.00 liability coverage to enter Australia.

Is this true?

[JeanneP]

$10 million? I can't believe that any foreign yacht carries even 1/10th of that level of liability - we can't even buy a policy with that much liability. When we entered Oz, admittedly more than 15 years ago, we had perhaps $500,000 liability. So. I think you need to talk to Australia's Customs and Immigration office. From past experience, you are better advised to NOT rely on any Australian consulate. Too many yachts have come to grief upon entering Australia because of poor or nonexistent information from the various consulates in the Pacific. (Incidentally, the US embassies and consulates are generally no better).

[redbopeep]

Perhaps things have changed, Ken, but remember the Bumfuzzles went into Australia--and they had NO liability insurance, they self-insured. I think perhaps someone put an extra "0" in the mix. I could see $1M required but not $10M.

[mico]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Perhaps things have changed, Ken, but remember the Bumfuzzles went into Australia--and they had NO liability insurance, they self-insured. I think perhaps someone put an extra "0" in the mix. I could see $1M required but not $10M.

Not sure if it clarifys things but most Australian coastal insurance policies now come with a 10 million public liability insurance. I've just looked at ours and yes - its there under coverage. You need this to stay in a marina here and I think that is the main issue - damage to other expensive yachts by inexperienced yachties. Mind you - are total policy costs us $1100 a year but this is for agreed value. Never really thought about yachts entering the country. If I sailed Mico to the US - what would we be charged?

Fair winds

mico

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by mico

Not sure if it clarifys things but most Australian coastal insurance policies now come with a 10 million public liability insurance. I've just looked at ours and yes - its there under coverage. You need this to stay in a marina here and I think that is the main issue - damage to other expensive yachts by inexperienced yachties. Mind you - are total policy costs us $1100 a year but this is for agreed value. Never really thought about yachts entering the country. If I sailed Mico to the US - what would we be charged?

Nothing. Yachts in the USA are not required to have liability insurance--amazingly. However, to stay in a private marina or yacht club for even a short day or two, you'll usually have to show evidence of liability insurance of some sort to stay there. According to my liability insurer, most US marinas require between $200K and $300K of liability. However, in Southern California, there are several marinas which require $500K of insurance. So, here, one could get by with about $500K insurance. The "rate" you would be charged for your liability insurance depends upon the size of your boat and its capacity for doing damage to other boats. The liability part of our little 5 ton boat's coverage was only $100/year however that same liability for our 29 ton boat is about $500/year. The hull insurance is a different thing and that is not what I'm talking about.

Fair winds,

[thehonkeykat]

just arrived back in usa, spent part of 3 cruising seasons in australia waters, customs are not interested in insurance, a few times a marina would ask and we would show them the standard policy we have that has hull coverage and 1 M libility. never any other questions.

jim