Insure4Boats

Insure4Boats, boat and craft cover under the Ripe Insurance umbrella

Insure4Boats is a trading name of Ripe Insurance Services Limited and is presented on its site as a Ripe Insurance Services product. The company is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under number 313411, is registered in England with company number 04507332 and gives its registered office as One Stockport Exchange, Railway Road, Stockport, United Kingdom, SK1 3SW. The brand describes itself as award-winning and operates a freephone UK call centre for enquiries.

Which vessels the policy is designed for

The site lists the craft categories the scheme addresses: motor boats, narrowboats, sailing boats and sailing yachts, RIBs, SIBs, speedboats, jet skis, small open motor boats, dinghies, sport craft, canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. It also acknowledges that some owners may be unsure which category their vessel falls under.

Cover levels and limits stated in the FAQs

• Third party liability of £3 million comes as standard on boat policies and can be raised to £5 million on request.
• Jet ski policies carry £1 million third party liability as standard, upgradable to £3 million at additional cost; the jet ski must be kept in a locked or secure building.
• Hull, Machinery & Public Liability cover extends to equipment attached to or forming part of the boat against theft, loss or damage, excluding wear and tear.
• Personal effects are not included as standard but are available as an option, with a single article limit of £350 and exclusions for valuables such as jewellery, cash and mobile devices.
• Equipment cover is not available on public liability only policies.
• Road transit cover applies while a boat under 27ft is towed on a trailer, without liability cover towards other road users.

Exclusions the insurer sets out

The published FAQs state that certain vessels cannot be covered: boats with a top speed above 50 knots, trimarans, boats used commercially or for business, and boats over 50ft unless used on inland waters only, excluding lochs and lakes. Barges are also excluded, with the exception of Dutch barges, for which the narrowboat scheme is presented as suitable. On jet skis, towing of wakeboards, water skiers or any other toy or inflatable item is excluded from cover.

Managing a policy and getting in touch

Policyholders use a members area to view and download insurance documents, update personal and payment details, submit or track claims and manage renewals, described as available around the clock. For questions, the site directs users first to a help centre with answers and guides, then to a live chat for real-time assistance, and finally to an online request form handled by UK-based customer contact centre staff, who state they respond within one working day. The freephone number 0800 668 1661 reaches the UK call centre.

Part of a wider insurance group

Insure4Boats sits alongside other Ripe products named on the site, including sports, golf, cycling, shooting, extreme sports, sports player and teams, sports team coaching, leisure, music, photography, caravan, valuables, drone, personal trainer and fitness instructor, small business and DJ insurance. The company also refers to carefully selected retail and leisure partners and offers a newsletter covering news, tips and offers from Insure4Boats and the Ripe Group.