- Recreational racing cover
- Third-Party cover
- Over 195 years of marine insurance experience*
- 24-hour emergency claims helpline
Dinghy Insurance
What is dinghy insurance?
Dinghy insurance is designed to protect you against the financial risks associated with owning and racing a dinghy. These include theft, damage, or claims made against you for third-party property damage or injury.
Through GJW Direct, you can cruise or race with confidence, knowing you’re protected against the unexpected.
Why choose us
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Automatic racing cover and refund of entry fees
If the race is abandoned because of adverse weather, we will refund your entry fee if you are unable to recover it from the organisers up to £20 for five days.
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Personal belongings cover
Sailing clothes and personal items normally worn or carried on your Dinghy and whilst on and around your Dinghy, including those items kept in your Dinghy kit bag, are covered.
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Instant cover & access to policy documents
When taking out a policy, you can choose to be instantly covered & get access to your policy documents.
What does dinghy insurance cover?
Dinghy Insurance
- Third-party liability—cover for you and others using your dinghy.
- Recreational racing cover—includes loss or damage to your dinghy’s mast, spars, sails, and standing or running rigging whilst you are racing.
- Refund of race entry fee—we’ll refund your entry fee for abandoned races if you are unable to recover it up to an amount of £20 for five days.
- Theft—covers your dinghy, outboard motors and trailer if stolen from a locked place of storage.
- Damage—fire and explosion damage, and damage caused by latent defect.
- Personal accident cover—covers you and any other person using your Dinghy for accidental injury or death.
- Impacts—including stranding and grounding.
- Personal belongings—your kit bag, sailing clothes, and personal items normally worn or carried on your dinghy.
- Medical expenses cover— covers you and your dinghy crew for Medical Expenses arising out of personal injuries caused by any of the perils covered under your dinghy insurance.
- Legal protection cover—covers legal expenses up to £100k to pursue damages for injury or death or expenses following damage to your dinghy or for the defence of criminal prosecutions.
- No age limit on user or dinghy—we do not impose extra terms or conditions because of the age of your dinghy.
- Transit—transit and trailer cover for transit by road.
- Wear and tear and lack of maintenance.
- The cost of repairing or replacing a latently defective part/item.
- A fault in design or construction.
- Defective workmanship.
- Rot, mildew, dampness, corrosion, weathering or any other gradually operating cause.
- Wilful misconduct.
- Whilst unattended on the water, overnight.
For more cover details, go to our important documents page.
Why consider dinghy insurance?
Whether you use your dinghy for sailing, racing, or as a tender, having specialist dinghy insurance provides financial protection and peace of mind.
For instance, say your mast is damaged during a race or another person makes an injury claim against you following a collision—dinghy insurance through GJW Direct would cover both scenarios.
Plus, many marinas and sailing clubs require dinghy insurance as a condition of use, so this is something to consider if you plan on using them.
Types of dinghy insurance
Sailing dinghy insurance
Sailing dinghy is a broad term for a range of small open sailing vessels used for both cruising and racing purposes. Dinghy insurance through GJW Direct covers a range of uses and vessel types for every type of dinghy owner.
Racing dinghy insurance
Racing dinghies come under a variety of different classes based on the size and number of crew. Races are run and regulated in the UK by the RYA. We arrange dinghy insurance policies to protect all dinghy types, including those used for racing.
Read our important documents page to find out more about insuring your racing vessel.
How much does dinghy insurance cost?
Giving an estimated cost is difficult, as there are a number of factors at play that determine this, such as:
- your claims history
- the age and value of your dinghy
- cruising area
The quickest way to determine the cost of your racing or sailing dinghy insurance through GJW Direct is to get an instant online quote.
Partnering with the RNLI
Since 2018, we've partnered with the RNLI to aid their target of halving preventable coastal drownings by 2024. By sharing important safety information with our customers, we've raised over £120,000.
Dinghy insurance FAQs
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While racing or sailing dinghy insurance isn’t a legal requirement, it is often mandated by marinas, sailing clubs, or race organisers. It also protects you and your boat against risks like theft, accidental damage, or third-party liability.
Whether you’re racing, sailing recreationally, or using your dinghy as a tender, having dinghy insurance can offer peace of mind and financial security.
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Whether or not you need to register your dinghy in the UK depends on its type and intended use. Here’s a quick guide:
- Small dinghies under 5m used recreationally don’t usually require formal registration in the UK.
- Powered dinghies (with an engine) that are used on the open sea may need to be registered with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
- Sailing dinghies don’t usually require registration, but if they are used for racing, they may need a sail number—this can usually be assigned by your sailing club.
- Dinghies used on managed inland waterways (such as canals and rivers managed by the Canal & River Trust or the Environment Agency) may require a boat licence.
It’s a good idea to check local regulations or with your marina to confirm if registration or licencing is necessary for your specific dinghy. Keep in mind that you may need dinghy insurance to obtain a boat licence.
Discover our partner discounts
As a GJW direct customer, you’ll get access to a large selection of discounts. Explore the list of brands we work with.
Racing & sailing dinghy guides
*GJW Direct has been arranging marine insurance since 1826
