Owning a narrow boat to traverse the miles of canals in the UK is a pleasure. Floating along calm waters through gorgeous countryside is a relaxing escape from the stresses and fast pace of modern life. The last thing you want to be worried about therefore is anything spoiling the idyll such as an accident. For peace of mind, on and off the water, you need narrowboat insurance.

If your boat is less than 20 years old you can easily obtain insurance with minimal fuss and without a survey. As with vehicular insurance, two common types are available; fully comprehensive and third party only.

Most boat insurance is fairly standard across all types of boats and pleasure craft, with some exceptions having specific insurance needs. In general the policies will have the same terms, inclusions and exclusions.

What is included in narrowboat insurance

• Third party and passenger liability cover as standard; typically £3 million.
• Cover for loss of equipment from inside or outside of the boat through theft
• Cover when the boat is used as a houseboat (accessible period will be limited)
• Cover for when in use on the UK coast – subject to a limited time and terms and conditions of suitability
• Cover for personal accidents for owner and onboard guests (may be limited by value)

What is excluded from narrowboat insurance

• Claims for faults in boat or equipment due to design or construction
• Cover for pre-existing repairs, alterations and maintenance
• Depreciation cover – any losses incurred through wear and tear or failed maintenance
• Cover for damage or loss caused by insects, vermin, marine life and damp

When you take out narrowboat insurance on a general boat policy there will be other exclusions which don’t apply, relating to other boat types. One other area of the policy to understand though is the cover provided for personal effects. Boat insurance is cover for the vessel and its equipment and it is not usual for it to cover personal items on the boat- the equivalent of household contents. Some policies will include cover under the circumstance of loss of personal effects from forced entry.

Narrowboat insurance is available from Boat Quote