Catamaran Insurance: Caribbean & Bahamas Cruising

Navigation Limits: Where Your Policy Actually Follows You

Every catamaran policy is written against a defined cruising range. A Florida-based policy that covers intracoastal and coastal waters does not automatically extend to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, or offshore passages. If your policy says 'within 200 miles of the US coastline' and you're anchored in the Exumas, you may be uninsured for hull and machinery (H&M) and protection and indemnity (P&I) alike.

For owners who cruise the Bahamas regularly, the navigation clause should name the Bahamas explicitly — including the outer islands — not just 'the Caribbean.' The Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean are different underwriting territories. A policy that covers the Bahamas may stop at the Dominican Republic or Trinidad. If your season takes you from Fort Lauderdale to Grenada and back, your navigation limits need to reflect that full range.

Extended cruising range typically affects your premium and may require your broker to negotiate with specialist underwriters who are comfortable with offshore passages, remote anchorages, and limited port infrastructure. What your broker should be asking the underwriter on your behalf: does the policy cover the full passage route, not just the destination? Transiting the Windward Passage or the Mona Passage should be covered under the same terms as the anchorage at the end of it.

Named Storm Deductibles and Your Hurricane Plan

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. During that window, named storm deductibles apply — and on a catamaran, those deductibles are calculated as a percentage of the agreed hull value, not a flat dollar amount. Because catamarans carry higher hull values relative to comparable monohulls, even a modest named storm deductible percentage translates into a significant out-of-pocket exposure.

Most specialist policies require a hurricane plan as a condition of cover during the named storm season. Your plan needs to specify where the vessel will be stored or moored, how it will be secured, and who is responsible for executing the plan if you're not aboard. Underwriters will ask whether your catamaran will be hauled, kept in a marina with documented storm moorings, or relocated outside the hurricane box — typically defined as south of latitude 12°30'N or north of 35°N, or in designated protected waters.

If your plan is to keep the vessel in South Florida or the Bahamas through hurricane season, expect the named storm deductible to reflect that exposure. Some underwriters will not offer named storm cover for catamarans left afloat in open anchorages in Florida or the Bahamas during the peak of the season. Others will, but with a wider deductible and specific mooring requirements. Know what your plan commits you to before you sign it — a plan that isn't followed can void your named storm cover entirely.

If you intend to cruise the Eastern Caribbean during hurricane season, your broker needs to confirm that your policy's hurricane box provisions allow for that. Some policies treat the Eastern Caribbean as outside the hurricane box and therefore not subject to the named storm deductible — but only if the vessel is actually there, documented, and not transiting back through Florida during a named event.

Hull and Machinery Cover: What's Included and What Isn't

Your hull and machinery policy covers physical loss or damage to the vessel, its machinery, and its equipment. For a catamaran, that includes both hulls, the bridgedeck, the rig (on a sailing cat), engines, generators, watermakers, electronics, and tenders. Agreed value policies — where the insured value is fixed at placement — are standard in the specialist market and preferable to market value policies, which can leave you underinsured if values have moved since your last renewal.

The Inchmaree clause extends your H&M cover to losses caused by the negligence of the crew, bursting of boilers, breakage of shafts, and latent defects in the machinery or hull — losses that would otherwise fall outside a basic perils policy. For a cruising catamaran with complex mechanical systems, the Inchmaree clause is not optional. Confirm it's included, not just assumed.

Sue-and-labour provisions in your policy require you to take reasonable steps to prevent or minimize a loss, and reimburse you for the costs of doing so. If your catamaran goes aground in the Exumas and you hire a salvage vessel to refloat her before she sustains further damage, those costs should be recoverable under sue-and-labour — but only if the policy is properly drafted and you've notified your insurer promptly. Delay in notification is one of the most common reasons sue-and-labour claims are disputed.

Exclusions to watch for on a catamaran policy: osmotic blistering, gradual deterioration, wear and tear, and damage caused by failure to maintain the vessel to a seaworthy standard. These are standard exclusions, but they become contentious when a structural failure has both a maintenance history and a sudden-onset element. Your survey history matters here — a current out-of-water survey from a qualified marine surveyor is the single most important document you can bring to placement.

• Both hulls, bridgedeck structure, and crossbeams covered under a single H&M policy
• Rig, sails, and standing rigging covered (sailing catamarans) — confirm sail inventory is scheduled
• Engines, generators, watermakers, and electronics included — check sublimits on electronics
• Tenders and outboards — typically scheduled separately with their own agreed values
• Inchmaree clause — confirm it's written into your policy, not just referenced
• Osmotic blistering, wear and tear, and gradual deterioration — standard exclusions

Protection and Indemnity: Your Liability Exposure Offshore

Protection and indemnity (P&I) cover pays third-party bodily injury and property damage claims arising from the operation of your vessel. For a cruising catamaran in the Bahamas or the Caribbean, your P&I exposure includes collision with other vessels, damage to marina infrastructure, injury to guests or crew, and wreck removal. In US waters, wreck removal liability is governed by federal law and can exceed the hull value of the vessel — your P&I limit needs to reflect that.

The Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC) sets a baseline for how far a shipowner can limit their liability, expressed in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). In practice, US courts have their own framework under the Limitation of Liability Act, and the interaction between the two is complex. What matters for your policy is that your P&I limit is set high enough that you are not personally exposed above it — and that your broker has confirmed the policy responds in both US and foreign jurisdictions where you cruise.

If you carry paying guests — whether under a charter arrangement or informal creffing — your P&I exposure changes. Crew liability, passenger liability, and charterer liability are distinct categories. A standard P&I policy written for a private pleasure vessel may not respond to a claim from a paying guest. If your catamaran earns any charter income, that needs to be disclosed at placement and the policy endorsed accordingly.

Charter Use, Crew, and Captain Cover

Charter use is one of the most significant coverage triggers in a catamaran policy. Whether you charter bareboat, with a hired captain, or as a crewed charter, the underwriting changes. Bareboat charter — where the charterer takes the vessel without your crew — carries the highest risk profile because you have no control over who is operating the vessel or how. Crewed charter, where you or a professional captain remains aboard, is generally more favorably underwritten.

If you operate under a USCG-documented vessel with a charter permit, or if your catamaran is flagged and operating under a foreign charter license in the Caribbean, your policy must be endorsed for commercial use. A policy written for private pleasure use does not cover charter income, charter liability, or claims arising from charter operations. Failing to disclose charter use at placement is a material misrepresentation that can void your cover.

Captain and crew coverage under your policy should address Jones Act liability (for US-flagged vessels with US crew), crew medical and repatriation expenses, and personal effects. The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006) sets minimum standards for crew welfare, including medical care and repatriation, that apply to commercially operated vessels. Even if your catamaran is privately operated with paid crew, MLC 2006 obligations may apply depending on flag state and trading area. Your broker should confirm whether your crew cover is structured to meet those obligations.

If you use a professional captain — whether full-time or for offshore passages — confirm that your policy covers the captain's navigation of the vessel and that the captain's qualifications meet the underwriter's requirements. Some policies require a minimum license level (USCG 100-ton Master or equivalent) for offshore passages. A captain who doesn't meet the policy's qualification requirements can create a coverage gap at the worst possible time.

• Bareboat charter — disclose at placement; expect different terms than private pleasure
• Crewed charter — captain qualifications and charter contract terms reviewed by underwriter
• Jones Act liability for US crew on US-flagged vessels
• MLC 2006 crew medical and repatriation obligations — confirm your crew cover addresses these
• Captain qualifications — USCG license level and offshore passage experience reviewed at placement
• Charter income — not covered under a private pleasure policy; must be endorsed

What to Bring When You Request a Quote

Specialist underwriters for cruising catamarans want to understand the vessel, the crew, and the intended use before they offer terms. The more complete your submission, the faster and more accurately your broker can get you to a bindable quote. Incomplete submissions lead to conditional offers, follow-up questions, and delays — none of which you want if you're trying to close on a vessel purchase or depart on a passage.

Your survey is the foundation of the submission. An out-of-water survey conducted within the past two to three years by a qualified marine surveyor — ideally one with catamaran-specific experience — is standard. If the survey is older, or if the vessel has had significant work done since the survey, underwriters may require an updated survey before binding. For a catamaran, the survey should address both hulls, the crossbeams, the rig (if sailing), and all machinery.

Your cruising plan and hurricane plan are equally important. Where will the vessel be based? What is the intended cruising range by season? Where will it be during the named storm season, and who is responsible for executing the hurricane plan? Underwriters want specificity, not approximations.

• Current out-of-water survey (within 2-3 years, catamaran-specific surveyor preferred)
• Vessel documentation: USCG documentation or state registration, HIN, year, make, model, LOA in feet
• Engine hours, service records, and any recent major repairs or upgrades
• Captain's resume and license (USCG or equivalent), offshore passage experience
• Intended cruising range by season, including specific islands and passages
• Hurricane plan: storage location, mooring type, responsible party
• Charter use: bareboat, crewed, or private — charter contract if applicable
• Claims history for the past five years

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate policy for the Bahamas, or does my Florida policy extend there?

It depends entirely on your navigation clause. Many Florida-issued yacht policies limit coverage to US coastal waters or a fixed offshore radius that doesn't reach the Bahamas. You need to confirm — in writing, in the policy — that the Bahamas are explicitly included in your cruising range. If they're not, you're operating without hull or P&I cover the moment you cross the Gulf Stream. This is one of the first things we verify when reviewing an existing policy.

What happens if a hurricane hits while my catamaran is in the Bahamas?

Your named storm deductible applies regardless of where the vessel is when the storm makes landfall, as long as the vessel is within the policy's defined hurricane zone. Whether you're in the Abacos or Fort Lauderdale, if a named storm causes the damage, the named storm deductible — not the standard deductible — applies. If your hurricane plan requires the vessel to be in a specific location and it isn't there when the storm hits, your underwriter may dispute the claim. Follow your plan exactly, and notify your broker as soon as a storm is named.

I take paying guests on my catamaran a few times a year. Does my private pleasure policy cover that?

No. A private pleasure policy is written on the assumption that you are not earning income from the vessel. The moment you accept payment from guests — even informally — you have changed the risk profile in a way that most private pleasure policies explicitly exclude. Charter use must be disclosed at placement and endorsed onto the policy. Operating under a private pleasure policy while chartering is a material misrepresentation that can void your cover entirely, including for unrelated claims.

How long does it take to bind cover for a catamaran with an extended Caribbean cruising range?

For a straightforward submission — current survey, clean claims history, qualified captain, standard cruising range — a specialist underwriter can typically turn around terms within a few business days. More complex submissions, such as extended offshore passages, charter use, or vessels with recent claims or older surveys, may take longer as the underwriter works through the details. The single biggest cause of delay is an incomplete submission. Have your survey, captain's resume, cruising plan, and hurricane plan ready before you ask us to go to market.

Does my catamaran policy cover general average contributions if another vessel in a convoy or shared passage declares general average?

General average is a maritime principle — codified under the York-Antwerp Rules — under which all parties sharing a common maritime adventure contribute proportionally to losses incurred to save the voyage. On a yacht, general average situations are uncommon but not unheard of, particularly in salvage scenarios. Your H&M policy should respond to a general average contribution levied against your vessel. Confirm with your broker that your policy addresses general average and that the York-Antwerp Rules version referenced in the policy is current.

What do you need from me to get started?

At minimum: your vessel's USCG documentation or state registration, the most recent out-of-water survey, engine hours and service records, your captain's resume and license, your intended cruising range by season, your hurricane plan, and five years of claims history. If you're using the vessel for charter, include your charter contract or a description of how you charter. The more complete your submission, the faster we can get you to bindable terms.