Frequently Asked Questions
Captain’s Liability and Additional Insured Status in Yacht Insurance
What Is Captain’s Liability Coverage?Most yacht insurance policies are written primarily to protect the owner of the vessel against liability arising from the ownership, maintenance, or operation of the yacht.
When a professional captain is engaged to operate or manage the vessel, the insurance policy can be endorsed to provide protection for the captain as well.
Under a Captain’s Liability endorsement or Additional Insured designation, the professional captain is included within the liability coverage of the yacht’s insurance policy while acting in the course of their duties aboard the insured vessel.
If a claim or lawsuit arises from the captain’s operation or management of the yacht—such as bodily injury, property damage, or other covered liability during normal vessel operations—the policy protects both the yacht owner and the captain, subject to the policy’s limits and conditions.
Is This a Separate Insurance Policy for the Captain?No. This designation does not create a separate insurance policy for the captain, nor does it replace any professional liability insurance the captain may independently carry.
Instead, it extends the vessel owner’s liability protection to the captain only while performing duties on behalf of the insured vessel and within the scope of the policy’s terms, conditions, and limits.
Why Is It Difficult for Captains to obtain This Coverage Independently?Marine insurers generally prefer to insure liability in connection with a specific vessel, where the condition, value, navigation limits, and operational risks can be clearly evaluated.
Professional captains often operate multiple vessels for different owners, each with different risk characteristics. Because this creates a broader and less predictable exposure, many insurers are reluctant to offer stand-alone liability policies to captains.
For this reason, the most practical and widely accepted way to protect a professional captain is through an endorsement to the yacht owner’s insurance policy naming the captain as an Additional Insured.
Important Coverage ConsiderationsCoverage remains subject to the terms of the yacht insurance policy, which may include:
Navigation limits
Licensing and credential requirements
Safe operation standards
Intentional acts, criminal activity, or operation outside the policy’s terms are typically excluded.