Is boat insurance a legal requirement?

It depends on the country where the boat is kept. Greece requires third-party cover for boats over 7 m and every speedboat, and Croatia requires it of foreign boats entering its waters. In the UK, Australia and many US states, a licence, a berth or a lender may ask instead.

Which US states require boat insurance?

Arkansas and Utah are two states that write a duty into state law; we haven't checked the others. Arkansas asks for $50,000 per occurrence on motorboats over 50 hp and every personal watercraft. In many states it is the marina, the lake or the lender. Rules for a state, a county or a lake can differ, so check yours.

Does my home insurance cover my boat?

Only a little, in most cases. The 2011 edition of the standard US homeowners form (HO 00 03) caps boats, trailers and outboards at $1,500 for damage. It gives liability only for stored boats, sailboats under 26 feet or outboards of 25 horsepower or less. Check your own policy's edition and endorsements.

What does boat insurance cost?

For a small motorboat of up to 25 hp kept in Cyprus, third-party cover starts from €25 a year. Hull cover typically costs 1 to 3% of the insured value a year for boats kept in Cyprus, Greece or Malta. Elsewhere we quote case by case.

Do I need insurance on a canal in England?

On Canal & River Trust waters, yes in practice: the Trust sells a licence only to boats with third-party cover of £2,000,000 or more. On the Thames, the Environment Agency registers powered boats only with at least £1,000,000 of cover. Other navigation authorities set their own terms.

Can you insure my jet ski?

No, not at the moment, and that includes other personal watercraft. If you ride in Greece, note that Greek rules count a jet ski as a speedboat, and Law 4926/2022 makes third-party cover compulsory for every speedboat.

Will my insurance be accepted at a marina abroad?

Usually, if the certificate shows what the berth office checks: the boat, the owner, the policy period and the third-party limit. That limit must meet the figure in your berth contract. In Greece the certificate can be in Greek or English. Ask the marina for its figure before you renew.

Agreed value or market value: which should I insure my boat for?

Agreed value is fixed when the policy starts, and that sum is paid if the boat is a total loss. Market value, sometimes called actual cash value, is worked out after the loss and allows for depreciation. Your schedule shows which basis applies, so check it before you choose a sum insured.

Boat insurance · small craft

Boat insurance: who requires it where your boat is kept

DigiCare Insurance, a licensed Cyprus insurance agency based in Paphos, sets out who asks for boat cover in six markets. Check here whether we can place your boat, then find the page for your type of boat.

We arrange cover for owners living in the UK, the EU/EEA, Switzerland, the Crown dependencies and Gibraltar. We cannot place boats owned by US or Australian residents.

Check if we can insure your boat

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Whether a small boat must be insured depends on where it is kept. Greek law requires third-party cover for boats over 7 m and for every speedboat. Croatia requires it of foreign boats entering its waters. In the UK, Australia and many US states, the demand comes from the berth, the licence or the lender instead.

See whether your boat qualifies

Law, berth or lender

Who requires boat insurance where your boat is kept: the law, the berth or the lender?

Greece and Croatia write a third-party duty into law for the boats they name. Cyprus has passed one, but it is not yet in force. In the UK, Australia and many US states, the duty can sit in a licence, a berth contract or a loan agreement instead.

Where the boat is kept	What the law requires	Who else asks for cover	Source
Greece	Third-party cover is compulsory for recreational boats over 7 m (under 300 GT) and for every speedboat, jet skis included. Minimums for injury: €150,000 per person, €700,000 per incident and €2,100,000 in total per policy period. Fines: €150 per metre of length for the owner, €100 per metre for the skipper, €50 if the certificate is not aboard, and the port authority can stop a boat over 7 m leaving port until the certificate is produced. The certificate can be in Greek or English.	Your marina's berth contract may set a higher figure.	Law 4926/2022, articles 1, 17, 20 and 74; Port Regulation 20 (2018) for jet skis
Croatia	The owner of a foreign boat (a craft over 15 kW) or yacht entering Croatian waters must hold valid third-party cover, unless another adequate guarantee applies. Minimum: €464,520 per event, for death or injury of third persons.	Your marina's berth contract may set its own figure.	Act on Compulsory Insurance within the Transport Sector (ZOOP), articles 41(3) and 42(2), as amended in 2023
Cyprus	Law 4(I)/2026 (article 57), published in the Official Gazette on 13 February 2026, will require owners of boats within the law's scope, owners of foreign boats entering Cyprus included, to hold third-party cover and carry the certificate aboard. It starts on a date the Council of Ministers sets, possibly different dates for different articles; as of 24 October 2026 none has been published. The law sets no amount.	Until then, the marina or berth contract is usually what asks for cover. Boats kept in or sailing to Cyprus	Law 4(I)/2026, articles 57 and 99
United Kingdom	No general law requires private leisure boats to be insured.	The Canal & River Trust sells a licence only to boats with third-party cover of £2,000,000 or more. The Environment Agency registers powered boats on the Thames only with at least £1,000,000 of cover. Marinas set their own figure.	Canal & River Trust (page edited 25 August 2026); GOV.UK, Environment Agency (updated 9 December 2021)
United States	No federal rule that we found. Arkansas requires liability cover of at least $50,000 per occurrence for motorboats over 50 hp and every personal watercraft. Utah requires resident motorboat owners to keep owner's or operator's security; we don't show its limits here. We haven't checked the other states.	In many states, the marina, the lake or the lender.	Ark. Code § 27-101-207 (FindLaw text); Utah Code 73-18c-301
Australia	On the NSW and WA personal-watercraft pages we read, we found no insurance requirement.	Marinas, clubs and event organisers may still ask for cover.	Service NSW; Transport WA
Any market, financed boat	Not set by law.	The loan agreement's insurance clause decides. Read it before you buy.	Your loan agreement

Greece

What the law requires · Third-party cover is compulsory for recreational boats over 7 m (under 300 GT) and for every speedboat, jet skis included. Minimums for injury: €150,000 per person, €700,000 per incident and €2,100,000 in total per policy period. Fines: €150 per metre of length for the owner, €100 per metre for the skipper, €50 if the certificate is not aboard, and the port authority can stop a boat over 7 m leaving port until the certificate is produced. The certificate can be in Greek or English.

Who else asks for cover · Your marina's berth contract may set a higher figure.

Source · Law 4926/2022, articles 1, 17, 20 and 74; Port Regulation 20 (2018) for jet skis

Croatia

What the law requires · The owner of a foreign boat (a craft over 15 kW) or yacht entering Croatian waters must hold valid third-party cover, unless another adequate guarantee applies. Minimum: €464,520 per event, for death or injury of third persons.

Who else asks for cover · Your marina's berth contract may set its own figure.

Source · Act on Compulsory Insurance within the Transport Sector (ZOOP), articles 41(3) and 42(2), as amended in 2023

Cyprus

What the law requires · Law 4(I)/2026 (article 57), published in the Official Gazette on 13 February 2026, will require owners of boats within the law's scope, owners of foreign boats entering Cyprus included, to hold third-party cover and carry the certificate aboard. It starts on a date the Council of Ministers sets, possibly different dates for different articles; as of 24 October 2026 none has been published. The law sets no amount.

Who else asks for cover · Until then, the marina or berth contract is usually what asks for cover. Boats kept in or sailing to Cyprus

Source · Law 4(I)/2026, articles 57 and 99

United Kingdom

What the law requires · No general law requires private leisure boats to be insured.

Who else asks for cover · The Canal & River Trust sells a licence only to boats with third-party cover of £2,000,000 or more. The Environment Agency registers powered boats on the Thames only with at least £1,000,000 of cover. Marinas set their own figure.

Source · Canal & River Trust (page edited 25 August 2026); GOV.UK, Environment Agency (updated 9 December 2021)

United States

What the law requires · No federal rule that we found. Arkansas requires liability cover of at least $50,000 per occurrence for motorboats over 50 hp and every personal watercraft. Utah requires resident motorboat owners to keep owner's or operator's security; we don't show its limits here. We haven't checked the other states.

Who else asks for cover · In many states, the marina, the lake or the lender.

Source · Ark. Code § 27-101-207 (FindLaw text); Utah Code 73-18c-301

Australia

What the law requires · On the NSW and WA personal-watercraft pages we read, we found no insurance requirement.

Who else asks for cover · Marinas, clubs and event organisers may still ask for cover.

Source · Service NSW; Transport WA

Any market, financed boat

What the law requires · Not set by law.

Who else asks for cover · The loan agreement's insurance clause decides. Read it before you buy.

Source · Your loan agreement

For Cyprus, Greece and Malta side by side, read whether boat insurance is mandatory in Cyprus, Greece and Malta.

Primary sources for the table (checked 24 October 2026)

Check if we can insure your boat

Where we can place cover

Can we arrange cover for your boat? It depends on where you live

The market we place small craft into accepts owners resident in the UK, the EU and EEA, Switzerland, the Crown dependencies and Gibraltar. Where the boat is kept comes second.

Your situation	Can we arrange cover?	Next step
You live in the UK, the EU or EEA, Switzerland, a Crown dependency or Gibraltar, and the boat is kept in Europe	YesWe can arrange this cover.	Send the quote form with your residence, the boat and the marina.
You live in one of those places, and the boat is kept outside Europe	Ask us.	The form tells you straight away whether a route exists.
You live in the US, or the boat flies the US flag	NoWe cannot arrange this cover.	None from us.
You live in Australia	NoWe cannot arrange this cover.	None from us.
It's a jet ski or other personal watercraft	Not at the moment.	We don't place jet skis at present.
It's a narrowboat, houseboat or other inland boat	UK residents only.	Send the form with the waterway and the licence you hold.

You live in the UK, the EU or EEA, Switzerland, a Crown dependency or Gibraltar, and the boat is kept in Europe

Can we arrange cover? · Yes. We can arrange this cover.

Next step · Send the quote form with your residence, the boat and the marina.

You live in one of those places, and the boat is kept outside Europe

Can we arrange cover? · Ask us.

Next step · The form tells you straight away whether a route exists.

You live in the US, or the boat flies the US flag

Can we arrange cover? · No. We cannot arrange this cover.

Next step · None from us.

You live in Australia

Can we arrange cover? · No. We cannot arrange this cover.

Next step · None from us.

It's a jet ski or other personal watercraft

Can we arrange cover? · Not at the moment.

Next step · We don't place jet skis at present.

It's a narrowboat, houseboat or other inland boat

Can we arrange cover? · UK residents only.

Next step · Send the form with the waterway and the licence you hold.

We match your boat to a market whose terms fit, and say so plainly when no market will take her.

For a larger yacht, our yacht insurance by residence, flag and waters page sorts the routes for bigger boats.

Start the quote form

Your type of boat

Which page answers the question about your boat

Each kind of small boat raises its own question. Find yours below. Pages still in preparation have no link yet. Until they go live, the quote form will route you.

Your boat	What usually decides cover	Page
Motorboat or day boat	Storm terms, the mooring, and any engine upgrade	Page in preparation
Speedboat	Speed and power class; Greek law names every speedboat	Page in preparation
RIB or tender	Engine power, and when it counts as a speedboat abroad	Page in preparation
Dinghy	Club and event liability	Page in preparation
Jet ski	Licence and age rules by country; we don't place jet skis now	Page in preparation
Narrowboat	UK residents only; what owners who have moved abroad can do	Page in preparation
Houseboat	Whether it can be insured at all	Page in preparation
Inland waterways boat	Taking a UK inland boat abroad	Page in preparation
Third-party only	The minimum each country demands, and whether your berth accepts it	Third-party boat insurance

Motorboat or day boat

What usually decides cover · Storm terms, the mooring, and any engine upgrade

Page · Page in preparation

Speedboat

What usually decides cover · Speed and power class; Greek law names every speedboat

Page · Page in preparation

RIB or tender

What usually decides cover · Engine power, and when it counts as a speedboat abroad

Page · Page in preparation

Dinghy

What usually decides cover · Club and event liability

Page · Page in preparation

Jet ski

What usually decides cover · Licence and age rules by country; we don't place jet skis now

Page · Page in preparation

Narrowboat

What usually decides cover · UK residents only; what owners who have moved abroad can do

Page · Page in preparation

Houseboat

What usually decides cover · Whether it can be insured at all

Page · Page in preparation

Inland waterways boat

What usually decides cover · Taking a UK inland boat abroad

Page · Page in preparation

Third-party only

What usually decides cover · The minimum each country demands, and whether your berth accepts it

Page · Third-party boat insurance

Pages you can read now:

US owners

US owners: what a standard home policy does and does not do for a boat

A standard US homeowners policy is not boat insurance. In the 2011 edition of the ISO homeowners form (HO 00 03), boats, their trailers, equipment and outboards share a $1,500 limit per loss for damage. Wind or hail damage to a boat counts only while it is inside a fully enclosed building.

• Liability for a boat you own applies only if the boat is stored, is a sailboat under 26 feet, or runs on outboard motors of 25 horsepower or less in total. Larger outboards count only in narrow cases, such as motors you declared.
• An owned inboard or sterndrive boat gets no liability cover under the form while in use; a stored one is covered.
• Your own policy may differ. Insurers amend the form by endorsement, and newer editions change the figures. Your declarations page decides.

We cannot arrange cover for US residents. A US boat policy, or a watercraft endorsement from a US carrier, is the route.

Older boats

An older boat: survey, a lower value, or third-party only

Insurers set their own age lines and survey intervals; we know of no law that sets one. When a boat passes an insurer's line, owners usually choose between a fresh out-of-water survey, a lower agreed value, or third-party cover only.

Option	What you keep	What's not included, or extra
Out-of-water survey	Hull cover for your own boat	The survey fee, paid on top of the premium
A lower agreed value, with photos or a condition report	Hull cover at a reduced sum; some insurers accept photos for low-value boats, so ask first	Less money paid on a total loss
Third-party only	Cover for damage or injury you cause to others, which is what berth and licence rules such as the Canal & River Trust's ask for	Nothing paid for damage to your own boat

Out-of-water survey

What you keep · Hull cover for your own boat

What's not included, or extra · The survey fee, paid on top of the premium

A lower agreed value, with photos or a condition report

What you keep · Hull cover at a reduced sum; some insurers accept photos for low-value boats, so ask first

What's not included, or extra · Less money paid on a total loss

Third-party only

What you keep · Cover for damage or injury you cause to others, which is what berth and licence rules such as the Canal & River Trust's ask for

What's not included, or extra · Nothing paid for damage to your own boat

Before you choose, find the date and the type of the boat's last survey. That decides which of the three options an insurer will consider.

Tell us the boat's age and value

Who we are

Who arranges your cover, and who pays a claim

DigiCare Insurance is a licensed Cyprus insurance agency (ICCS licence 2451), in Cyprus since 2009, with its office in Paphos. We arrange cover with licensed insurers. Claims are handled by the insurer named in your policy documents.

ICCS licence 2451

A licensed Cyprus insurance agency, registered with the Insurance Companies Control Service.

In Cyprus since 2009

More than 15 years arranging cover in Cyprus, from our office in Paphos.

English, Greek and Russian

Talk to us in any of the three, on the phone or in writing.

10+ insurers compared

Across all our lines of cover, we compare more than 10 insurers.

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Our rating from client reviews on Google.

Your boat is placed through a UK specialist scheme for small craft.

Your certificate is usually issued in 1 to 2 days, depending on flag, residence and cruising area.

Ask us to place your cover

Costas Matheou — Licensed insurance agent, DigiCare Insurance, Paphos, Cyprus

Last reviewed: 24 October 2026

Licensed Cyprus insurance agency, ICCS licence 2451

We check the Cyprus Official Gazette every month for the start date of Law 4(I)/2026, and re-check every source in the market table each quarter.

DigiCare Insurance is a trading name of Costas Matheou Insurance Agent, a licensed Cyprus insurance agency registered with the Insurance Companies Control Service (ICCS licence 2451). DigiCare is not an insurer, does not carry risk and does not handle claims; claims are handled by the insurer named in your policy documents. The firm that arranges your cover is named in the documents you receive.

FAQ

Questions small-boat owners ask us

Tell us where you live, the boat and where she's kept

If we can't place her, you'll know before you give us your phone number.

Check if we can insure your boat Call +357 99 857 807

Licensed Cyprus insurance agency, ICCS licence 2451 · In Cyprus since 2009 · English, Greek and Russian

Yacht insurance by residence, flag and waters Boat insurance in Cyprus What boat insurance costs in euros

Boat insurance: who requires it where your boat is kept

Who requires boat insurance where your boat is kept: the law, the berth or the lender?

Primary sources for the table (checked 24 October 2026)

Can we arrange cover for your boat? It depends on where you live

Which page answers the question about your boat

US owners: what a standard home policy does and does not do for a boat

An older boat: survey, a lower value, or third-party only

Who arranges your cover, and who pays a claim

ICCS licence 2451

In Cyprus since 2009

English, Greek and Russian

10+ insurers compared

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Questions small-boat owners ask us

Tell us where you live, the boat and where she's kept

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