- Protected no-claims bonus
- Up to £20k Personal Accident cover
- 200 years of marine insurance experience*
- 24-hour emergency claims helpline
Yacht Insurance
Why choose GJW Direct for yacht insurance?
With a yacht and sailing boat insurance policy from GJW Direct, you benefit from over 200 years of experience arranging specialist marine insurance, giving you direct access to knowledgeable yacht insurance experts. GJW Direct is also a proud partner of the RNLI, supporting vital sea safety and rescue services around the UK, and offers discounts with our partner brands for customers, helping you access specialist cover with confidence.
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Marina Scheme Benefits
If you keep your vessel in a recognised UK marina, you are entitled to Special Endorsements as part of our Marina Scheme.
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Protected No Claims Bonus
Once you earn no claims bonus it is protected. This means that you will not lose your no claims bonus if you have one claim in any one policy period. Two or more claims will result in a loss of no claims bonus.
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Agreed Value
In the event of a total loss claim, we will pay the value of your vessel originally agreed upon taking out your policy.
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Salvage and Wreck removal
Cover in the event of your vessel needing to be salvaged or becoming a wreck.
Specialist Yacht Insurance through Marine Insurance experts
Yacht insurance (also known as sailing boat insurance) helps protect sailing yacht owners against common risks on the water, including accidental damage, theft, loss, and third‑party liability claims, and may also include legal defence costs following an incident. This type of policy is designed for sailing yachts primarily powered by sails and used for pleasure, leisure cruising or local club racing in the UK, rather than vessels mainly powered by an engine.
Looking for a motor yacht insurance policy? Check out our motor cruiser page for more information.
What does yacht insurance cover?
Yacht Insurance
- Third-party liability—cover for you and others using your yacht.
- No excess for third-party claims—no excess for loss or damage caused by an untraceable third party (if the vessel is moored in a marina).
- Agreed value—we’ll pay your yacht’s agreed value in the event of a total loss.
- Protected no-claims bonus—you won’t lose your no claims bonus if you have one claim in any one policy period.
- Single-handed sailing—included as standard for up to 18 consecutive hours.
- Legal protection—up to £100k for legal expenses to pursue damages or defend criminal prosecutions.
- Medical expenses—for you and your yachting crew per incident.
- Personal accident cover—for accidental injury or death.
Looking to cover a yacht valued between £1m-5m? Visit our private clients page for more information.
- Wear and tear and lack of maintenance.
- The cost of repairing or replacing a latently defective part/item.
- Rot, mildew, dampness or weathering or any other gradually operating cause.
- Wilful misconduct.
- A fault in design or construction
- Defective workmanship.
- Mechanical or electrical breakdown.
- Galvanic corrosion or electrolysis unless you are able to demonstrate that sufficient anodes have been installed.
For more cover details, visit our important documents page.
Meet our yacht insurance expert
"If you plan to take your yacht outside your usual cruising area for a trip abroad, GJW Direct policies can include further trip extensions and tailored cruising areas to cover the dates you need for areas such as the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, and the Baltic waters. However, you must contact us before you travel to update your cruising area, as this may affect your premium. Your cover only applies to the cruising area stated on your insurance schedule."
Karen Wallis, Underwriter and Team Leader
Discover our partner discounts for yacht owners
As a GJW direct customer and yacht owner, you’ll get access to a large selection of discounts. Explore the list of brands we work with.
Refer your friends and you’ll both be rewarded
Refer your friends to GJW Direct and you'll both get a voucher from one of six retailers when they take out a policy with us.
Specialist luxury yacht insurance for vessels over £1m
If you have a yacht or motor cruiser worth over £1m we have a specialist team dedicated to providing coverage options that are right for you. Find out more about our Private Client Insurance and get a call today.
Why consider yacht insurance?
Owning a yacht or sailboat offers a great sense of adventure and escape from everyday life, but it also comes with potential risks.
Accidents on the water can happen unexpectedly—whether you’re involved in a collision in a crowded marina or injure another person whilst cruising. Even lending your boat to a trusted friend or family member can lead to unforeseen incidents.
Having a specialist yacht insurance policy in place means you’re prepared for life’s uncertainties, from damage to your vessel to liability claims.
How much does yacht insurance cost?
Several factors can influence how much you’ll pay for a yacht or sailing boat insurance policy, including:
- your no claims bonus
- your cruising area
- the boat’s value and age
To get the best idea of how much your yacht insurance policy might cost, get an instant quote with GJW Direct.
Yacht & sailing boat insurance FAQs
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Yacht owners aren’t legally required to have insurance, but many marinas require proof of third-party cover to access their facilities.
Even if the marinas you plan to visit don’t require it, you might want to consider yacht insurance to protect yourself and your vessel regardless, especially considering the high value of your yacht or sailing boat.
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Yes—GJW Direct arranges sailing boat insurance for vessels primarily powered by sails, used for recreational sailing or cruising. You can visit our online quote process to personalise your policy.
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Yes—yacht insurance policies arranged by GJW Direct include catamaran yachts and a range of smaller vessels too, from day boats to ocean-going yachts. Simply visit our online quote process and select your boat type.
For motor-powered catamaran yachts, check out our motor cruiser insurance page for more information.
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Yes, through GJW Direct, you can get cover for local club racing in the UK.
You would not be covered for any racing outside of the UK unless agreed by GJW Direct and noted on your insurance schedule.
For more information on yacht racing cover, visit the Yacht Insurance Booklet on the important documents page.
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If the insured Vessel is over 30 years of age, you must own an out of water condition and valuation survey, carried out and completed within the last ten years by an independent qualified marine surveyor. Any surveyor recommendations should be carried out in the timescales, and all ‘ongoing recommendations’ shall be complied with throughout the period of this insurance.
Where the vessel is under 26ft and valued below £15,000, a survey is not required until the vessel is 50 years of age, subject to the conditions in this survey clause outlined in your policy documents.
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Yes, through GJW Direct you can get liveaboard cover if you use your yacht or sailing boat as your permanent residence.
Yachting news & guides
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 £258,000.
*GJW Direct has been arranging marine insurance since 1826
