Bluewater Yacht Insurance

Specialist Insurance Cover for
Offshore Sailing & Worldwide Cruising

Planning an Atlantic crossing, Caribbean season or extended cruising adventure? Since 1975, Velos has helped owners arrange tailored Bluewater insurance for extended cruising and international voyages.

Whether you’re planning your first extended passage or you’re an experienced long-distance cruiser, we’ll help arrange cover that’s designed around your vessel, itinerary and plans. Working with a trusted panel of leading marine insurers, we arrange bespoke cover for voyages across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Pacific and other international cruising areas, providing expert guidance wherever your journey takes you.

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As an independent, family-owned marine insurance specialist, we’ve been helping yacht, pleasure craft and boat owners arrange marine insurance since 1975. We offer competitive rates and tailored boat insurance cover no matter our customers’ needs.

Tailor-made, bespoke insurance policies
Competitive premium & wide cover
Market-leading reputation for customer care
Experienced Bluewater Insurance specialists
Dedicated claims team
Independent, family-owned business

No two Bluewater voyages are exactly alike. Factors such as your itinerary, cruising area, experience and planned duration can all influence the type of cover that’s most suitable for your trip.

Our experienced team will take the time to understand your plans before drawing on our panel of specialist marine insurers to help find the right solution for your voyage.

Depending on your requirements, cover would normally include:

Physical loss or damage to your yacht
Third-party liability cover
Accidental loss or damage protection
Cover for associated property
Fire, lightning and explosion damage
Theft, malicious damage and vandalism
Extended cruising areas
Tailored cover based on your itinerary

Our aim is to provide straightforward advice and help you find a policy that’s designed around your journey, so you can spend less time worrying about the details and more time planning the adventure ahead.

Planning your next adventure should be something to look forward to, and that’s why Velos is here to help simplify the insurance process.

For over 50 years, Velos has been supporting boat owners with their insurance options, helping everyone from seasonal cruisers to those undertaking Atlantic crossings and longer-term Bluewater adventures. Trusted by boat owners since 1975, we’re proud to provide personal service, straightforward advice and access to specialist marine insurance solutions.

When it comes to making a claim, you’ll be supported by our own in-house claims team based in our London office. If the unexpected happens during your voyage, a qualified claims handler will guide you through the process and work to resolve your claim as quickly and efficiently as possible.

From your initial enquiry through to any future claim, we’re here to support you throughout your Bluewater journey.

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Contact Us:

Want to get a FREE quote from us today to find out more about how we can help you get the right insurance solution.

Claims Support:

You can contact our claims team By Telephone: 020 7929 4058 from the UK or +44 20 7929 4058 from abroad.

Claims Support

White yacht with sails up cruising on open water

Who Can We Insure?

Bluewater Yacht Insurance can be arranged for yacht owners resident in a range of countries around the world.

We can typically arrange cover for boats owned by residents of:

United Kingdom
European Union countries
United States*
Canada*
Australia*
New Zealand*

Important information regarding eligibility:

*US-flagged vessels can only be insured when operating outside of US waters as part of an international cruising itinerary.
*Canadian-flagged vessels can only be insured when operating outside of Canadian waters as part of an international cruising itinerary.
*For Australian and New Zealand residents, vessels can only be insured when operating within UK, or EU/Med waters only.

If you’re unsure whether your vessel or planned voyage is eligible for our offshore sailing insurance, our experienced team will be happy to advise.

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Rockstars!

” Exceptional customer service and was able to secure a sailboat singlehanded under very specific needs, for a very competitive price, where other companies wouldn’t even look at it. “

– Wayne

Extremely impressed

” Most of insurance companies can learn how to treat their clients from Velos Insurance. I was extremely impressed by the simplicity and professionalism of Velos team. “

– Nel

Knowledgeable service

” Velos web quote was easy to complete and they responded very quickly. Phone call from them next morning answered all my queries about specifics to my situation as the boat is based in Greece. “

– Phil

Stellar service

” It is nice to deal with real people on a personal level who strive to get your assets protected. “

– Victor

Highly recommend

” Extremely responsive and great service. Kel managed a reasonably complex yacht insurance quote, was extremely helpful and found us a good value quote. “

– Paul

Outstanding

” We could not be happier with the service that Velos provided. Not only did they get us a much better policy than we had, they also saved us money. “

– Jessica

Very helpful

” I had trouble finding brokers who would handle non-resident owner. I was referred by another broker to Velos, and they were able to assist. “

– Eugene

Recommend without hesitation

” The coverage is exactly what we need and at a better price than the company we had been with for the two prior years. “

– Michael

Terrific

” They worked hard to ensure we got coverage locked in before our previous policy expired by being readily available for back and forth emails up to the wire. “

– Patricia

Fantastic service

” The process was very detailed to ensure all questions were answered in a warm, authentic manner. I thoroughly recommend them. “

– Richard

Popular Bluewater Sailing Areas We Can Cover

Whether you’re planning a Caribbean season, a single Atlantic crossing or a longer-term cruising adventure, Bluewater Yacht Insurance is designed for yacht owners venturing further afield.

Examples of cruising areas we can help cover include:

Caribbean cruising
Mediterranean cruising
Atlantic crossings
Pacific Island & Polynesian voyages
Liveaboard lifestyles
Worldwide yacht passages

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View from the front of a sailing boat on the ocean

What is Bluewater Yacht Insurance?

Bluewater voyages typically involve longer sailing passages in international cruising areas and longer periods away from your home marina. As a result, they often require specialist cover that reflects the unique nature of your journey, your vessel and sailing experience.

Whether you’re planning a seasonal cruising itinerary, an offshore passage or a long-distance voyage, our experienced team will take the time to understand your plans and will help to arrange cover designed around your vessel, cruising area and intended route.

Bluewater Yacht Insurance can be tailored to reflect:

Your planned cruising area
The duration of your voyage
Your sailing experience
Offshore passages and extended itineraries
International cruising plans
Long-term or seasonal cruising programmes

From the first leg of your journey to your final destination, our team is on hand to help arrange insurance that’s tailored to your plans and the way you intend to use your yacht.

Get Your FREE Quote Online Today →

Frequently Asked Questions

Bluewater Yacht Insurance is designed for yacht owners planning offshore passages, international cruising and long-distance voyages. Unlike standard yacht insurance, Bluewater cover can be tailored to cruising plans that extend beyond local coastal waters and may include destinations such as the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Pacific Islands and other international cruising areas.

Yes. Velos can often help American yacht owners arrange Bluewater Yacht Insurance for international cruising and offshore voyages. However, due to insurers’ licensing restrictions, cover for US-flagged vessels is intended for yachts operating outside of US waters as part of an international cruising itinerary.

Bluewater Yacht Insurance can often be arranged for a wide range of international cruising destinations. Popular cruising areas include the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Atlantic crossing routes, Pacific Islands and selected worldwide cruising grounds. Coverage will depend on your individual itinerary, experience and cruising plans, so it’s important to discuss your voyage with our team.

One of the appeals of cruising is its spontaneity, however your insurance is arranged based on the itinerary you provided when applying for cover. Insurers understand that plans can change, so it’s important to keep them informed of any significant changes to your itinerary. If you’re unsure whether a change needs to be declared, it’s always best to let us know and we’ll be happy to advise accordingly.

It’s essential to keep your insurer informed of any changes to the itinerary originally declared when your policy was arranged. We’ve occasionally spoken to clients at renewal only to discover that their vessel is in a completely different part of the world from the area stated on their policy. In these situations, cover will no longer have applied once the vessel left the agreed cruising area. A quick email or call to our team to advise us of any change in your plans can help avoid this issue and will allow us to speak to your insurers to get the policy extended.

Many Bluewater Yacht Insurance policies include specific restrictions or requirements. These may relate to your cruising range, exclusions for Windstorm and/or requirements to be outside certain areas during certain zones at certain times of the year. These restrictions will be clearly detailed within our quotation documents and in the Insurance Certificates issued by insurers, so it is essential that these are noted, understood and adhered to, as failure to do so could invalidate the policy. As always, if there are any questions or if you are unable to adhere to these requirements, please contact us straight away so that we can approach insurers for you and try to find a solution so to ensure your vessel remains insured.

We insure a wide range of reputable yacht brands, such as Hallberg-Rassey, Hanse, Lagoon, Bali 4.5, Nautitech, Fountaine Pajot, Catana, and Outremer.

Cruising yacht insurance often refers to cover for leisure sailing and extended cruising activities, while Bluewater Yacht Insurance is typically arranged for longer-distance voyages, offshore passages and international cruising areas. The most appropriate solution will depend on where and how you intend to use your yacht.

Yes. Bluewater Yacht Insurance can often be arranged for Atlantic crossings and other offshore passages. Our team will take into account factors such as your planned route, vessel details, sailing experience and intended cruising areas before recommending a suitable insurance solution.

Absolutely. Many yacht owners arrange Bluewater Yacht Insurance before spending a season cruising the Caribbean. Whether you’re island-hopping through the Grenadines or planning an extended Caribbean itinerary, we can help you explore cover options designed around your voyage.

Long-distance cruising requires specialist considerations, and our experienced team is here to help every step of the way.

Whether you’re crossing oceans, sailing the Mediterranean or planning extended offshore voyages, Velos can help arrange cover tailored to your journey.

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      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 59 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
    Kimberly  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great company, personable and easy to work with when questions come up.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Andrew  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Exceptional Service for Cruisers!

I had a fantastic experience working with Kel at Velos Insurance. Securing world cruising insurance can be a daunting and complex process, but Kel made it feel incredibly manageable.

Here is why I can’t recommend them enough:

Incredibly Responsive: Kel was lightning-fast when it came to getting back to me. In the world of marine insurance, timing is everything, and I never had to wait long for an update or a return call.

Meticulously Thorough: They didn’t miss a single detail regarding our offshore requirements. Kel took the time to go through everything with a fine-tooth comb, ensuring our coverage was robust enough for international waters and that I fully understood the nuances of the policy.

A Pleasure to Deal With: Beyond just being professional, Kel is genuinely pleasant and easy to talk to. It’s rare to find someone who makes the insurance process feel this seamless and stress-free.

If you’re prepping for a long-range voyage and need someone who is professional, attentive, and understands the specific needs of cruisers, ask for Kel.

Thank you for the top-tier service!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Francis  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent service. Our broker M. Kel Girdler went out of his way and in a prompt manner to answer my needs. I highly recommend their service.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Max  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. An excellent and speedy service. I highly recommend.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Eugene  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am an American purchasing an English canal boat at long distance. I had trouble finding brokers who would handle non-resident owner. I was referred by another broker to Velos, and they were able to assist. The boat is also quite old, 100 years, on historic registry which presented a second problem so they had to go to a number of underwriters before success. But they did, and I have insurance. They were very helpful, a pleasure to work with by phone and email.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Jessica  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We could not be happier with the service that Velos provided. Not only did they get us a much better policy than we had, they also saved us money. The customer service is outstanding and I can HIGHLY  recommend them!!!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Jason  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kel @ Velos was amazing to deal with. We’ve had issues insuring our vessel but Kel and Velos worked hard to find a solution. Velos have been professional and prompt to deal with and we can highly recommend them.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Rob  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Emma my agent has gone way out her way to navigate a rather complex set of circumstances to insure my narrow boat.  Wonderful to have someone of this caliber in my corner.  What I love is she approach me in advance of the policy expiration to remind it was coming up.  It's so easy to let this slip by and the consequences can be dire.  Well done Emma and Velos....R Hall
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Steve  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. From my initial email enquiry with Velos I dealt with Kel and he was quick to respond and answered each point I had raised. Subsequent emails were also responded to in a prompt and efficient manner which was refreshing, it was nice to have the opportunity to talk. I never felt that the time we spent talking was a problem and he offered useful advice on how to get me the best policy for my situation, overall great service and hopefully the start of a long term support with my yacht insurance.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
    Richard  
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic service from Kel.The process was very detailed to ensure all questions were answered in a warm, authentic manner. I thoroughly recommend them.