Ownership
Boat modifications to declare
| Change | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Repower or engine upgrade | Value, performance, and installation standard |
| Rig replacement or change of rig type | Resets the rigging age clock; changes loads |
| Lithium battery installation | Fire risk; who installed it and to what standard |
| Major electrical rework | Fire risk and shore-power interaction |
| Structural work — bulkheads, keel, deck | Goes to the integrity of the hull |
| Hardtop, davits, arch, solar frame | Windage, weight aloft, stability |
| Gas system changes | Fire and explosion exposure |
| Increase in equipment value | The sum insured no longer matches the boat |
Notifying the insurer of modifications
- Tell the insurer before the work starts, describing what is planned and who is doing it.
- Ask whether the change affects the terms, the conditions or the sum insured.
- Keep the invoices, certificates of compliance and the installer's details.
- Photograph the installation, particularly anything that will be hidden afterwards.
- Ask for written confirmation that the modification is accepted.
- Update the sum insured to reflect the new value.
Undeclared modifications and claims
It depends on the wording and on whether the modification is connected to the loss. A hardtop nobody was told about is unlikely to affect a theft claim. An undeclared lithium installation is very likely to affect a fire claim. The risk is not that every undeclared change voids everything — it is that the one connected to your loss becomes the insurer's argument.
Safety upgrades and underwriting
- A galvanic isolator or isolation transformer on a boat living on shore power.
- An upgraded security system, tracker or approved outboard lock.
- New standing rigging, which resets the age question.
- An automatic fire suppression system in the engine bay.
- Improved bilge pumping and high-water alarms.
- Storm sails and heavy-weather gear on a boat seeking offshore cover.
Condition is what decides marine claims
Almost every declined marine claim is an argument that a failure was gradual rather than sudden. The records you keep are what answers it.
Related guides
- Lithium Battery Boat Insurance Australia
- Marine Electronics Insurance Australia
- Standing Rigging Insurance: Damage Cover and Claims
- Boat Insurance Sum Insured: Choosing Your Vessel Value
- How To/Reading Your Policy
- Boat Insurance Disclosure: Duty Not to Misrepresent
- Boat Insurance Underwriting: Surveys, Age and Maintenance
- Catamaran Solar Arches and Insurance
General information onlyThe information on sailboatinsurance.com.au is general educational information only. It may be wrong, incomplete or out of date, and you should not rely on it as a substitute for the current policy documents or professional advice. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and is not personal financial product advice. Insurance cover depends on the actual policy wording, Product Disclosure Statement, certificate of insurance, endorsements, exclusions, limits, sub-limits and underwriting decisions that apply to your vessel. Always read the current policy documents before buying, renewing or changing cover. For legal, financial or insurance advice about your own circumstances, consider speaking with an appropriately licensed professional.