British pavilion and boat insurance
Do you sail under British flag in French territorial waters and/or want to take out a pleasure insurance contract? With the changes in legislation related to Brexit, it is likely that you are having difficulty having your pleasure boat insure. In order to enlighten you, we take stock of the insurance possibilities for a bending boating boat.
We can obtain an insurance quote or carry out the pavilion change procedures for you
I bought a boat with a UK pavilion: how to assure it?
Take out a Plaisance insurance For your boat is essential. Indeed, a damage, an engine problem or a disaster can occur. Without insurance, you will not receive any compensation and the consequences may be dramatic if you cause damage to a third party.
If you just bought a beating boat British pavilion, it will be necessary as for any pavilion to ensure it. However, you may encounter difficulties with insurers.
From Brexit many insurers have ceased to cover the ships recorded under British flag.
Here are the two options available to you.
At first glance, the most logical is to go around the boat insurance And to find the one who will want to establish your contract. Indeed, the insurance rules oblige insurance companies to increased vigilance as soon as the legislation becomes more complex, in particular because you sail under British flag. The administrative structures must be clearly identified, especially if they are linked to the ultramarine British territories (British Virgin Islands, Caiman Islands ...), whether you are an individual or a society.
In addition, by leaving the European Union, the United Kingdom is no longer subject to CE marking which has proven since 1998 the conformity of the pleasure vessel, especially in terms of security. If it is the postage of binding regulations for its nationals, it is also a new difficulty for boaters and the beginning of a complex recognition procedure.
However, as soon as you have all the ship's ownership documents, that you can prove its CE compliance, some insurers may offer you suitable boat insurance offers.
The second solution is to change the pavilion.
This solution may seem more heavy administratively but must be part of a broader reflection on the property of a ship. Especially since we can take care of the entire procedure, from the radiation of the British pavilion to registration in France.
We can change the country of recording your boat by relying on our network and expertise with customs, maritime affairs and tax services. We are able to offer you different registration solutions in France due to our location, but also abroad according to your situation.
If you have already sailed under third-party pavilion (extra community), you know how laborious administrative formalities can be and a sign of complications, particularly vis-à-vis customs. Do not forget that most exotic solutions require the opening of a company and involve an annual manager.
The first question during a border control is to provide the proof of payment of VAT of your boat. This question does not take place under the French pavilion for example. However, the number of boats having benefited from the customs vagueness following Brexit is quite considerable. Add to that trade tensions between Great Britain and the European Union and you get boaters in the viewfinder of the authorities, rightly or wrongly I let you interpret.
I have a wandering boat UK and I want to change it because my insurer no longer covers me
If so far you could have your beating UK flag beating without notable difficulty insure, it is likely that things have changed with Brexit.
You can therefore undertake a change of pavilion and opt for the French pavilion or another nationality (Polish pavilion, Dutch pavilion, Belgian pavilion, San Marino…). These pavilions are accessible under certain conditions: European nationality (apart from Poland), residence in the country (apart from France and Poland), compulsory boat permit (according to national regulations), compliance of the pleasure boat ...
Leaving the European Union, the United Kingdom has changed the world of pleasure and becomes a third country. Thus, if you want to change the pavilion and if your boat has been built after June 16, 1998, you will generally have to provide a written declaration of compliance or have recourse to a PCA (Post Construction Assessment: type of compliance according to European standards in force). It is compulsory, unless it is an amateur construction and if the plans or the technical sheet of the ship are available.
Another constraint linked to the status of third countries in the United Kingdom: you will have to prove that the VAT has been acquitted and the ship has never left community waters or having imported the ship.
Insurance, registration, we are here to accompany you and take charge of these different steps.
I want to buy a boat under UK pavilion: what are the checks to be carried out?
VAT
Importing a British pleasure boat in EU waters requires the acquittal of community VAT. If the owner of your future pleasure boat is not up to date, you will have the obligation to do so to the acquisition to enter the territory. It is therefore an essential point to check.
Conformity
You will also need to make sure that the boat meets the requirements of European regulations, mainly in terms of CE marking (safety equipment, etc.), otherwise navigation authorization may be refused. Finally, it is essential to ensure your boat because insurance is linked to its compliance with CE standards and without insurance, it is better to avoid any movement on land or at sea.
You now know, taking into account all the parameters, what options are available and the information to be taken into account when your insurance no longer wishes to cover you under British pavilion. However, each situation must be studied carefully and nothing should be overlooked, do not hesitate to ask us.