Noble Marine encourages all clients to use the online claim form. This will significantly improve the speed of communicating with you, enabling authorisation of the repairs or replacement items to occur far more quickly.

To assist you in finding a local repairer, our web site also has a directory of suppliers and repairers which is fully searchable by postcode or region.

What information may be required?

Whenever an incident occurs and another boat is involved, take a note of the details of the other persons / boats involved. Also don't forget to obtain the details of any potential witnesses. This is not always easy whilst afloat, but note the name of the boat or the sail number and make contact once you are ashore. The information you might require would be:

The name and address of the person who was in charge of the other vessel. Are they the owner of the boat? If not, the name and address of the boat's owners will be required. Their insurance company and policy number if known. Their boat name and / or sail number.

If possible, take photographs of the damage to email or post with your claim form. If the claim relates to stolen or vandalised equipment, the incident should be reported to the police who will provide you with a Crime Reference Number.

Stolen equipment will be listed free of charge on www.stolenboats.org.uk

The Claim Form will need to show your details, including your policy number, the date, time and place of the incident, plus weather conditions if relevant, and contact details of the other persons involved and witnesses. A Crime Reference Number should be included if the claim is for theft or vandalism. Any photographs of the damage, will assist greatly.

You will also be required to arrange estimates for the repair or replacement items. Only one estimate may be required initially, however if the costs involved are large, further estimates may be required or a Surveyor may be appointed to inspect the boat or oversee the repairs.

Once all the required information has been received by Noble Marine, we will confirm how to proceed. More information may be required, or it may be necessary to communicate with the other party involved, or their Insurers, before authority can be given to proceed with the repairs.

Once the repairs have been completed you may be required to pay the full amount to the repairer before your boat is released to you, or you may be asked to pay just the amount of your policy excess. All invoices should be forwarded to Noble Marine for reimbursement.

If another party was responsible for the incident, we will assist you in recovering any costs you may have incurred.

Useful Links: www.stolenboats.org.uk www.noblemarine.co.uk http://www.noblemarine.co.uk/repairers.php3 http://www.noblemarine.co.uk/claim.php3

About the author:

Patrick Altoft is an insurance expert with Noble Marine a specialist UK insurance broker providing boat insurance for most types of pleasure craft. Policies and claims are dealt with in-house, by knowledgeable staff, giving unequalled levels of service.
See http://www.noblemarine.co.uk for more useful articles.