Ownership
Osmosis and corrosion exclusions
| Osmosis | Corrosion | |
|---|---|---|
| Affects | Fibreglass laminate below the waterline | Steel, aluminium, stainless, underwater metals |
| Mechanism | Water migrating into the laminate over years | Electrochemical wastage, accelerated by stray current |
| First sign | Blisters, elevated moisture readings | Pitting, staining, wasted plate, failed anodes |
| Found by | Moisture meter and haul-out inspection | Thickness readings and visual survey |
| Insurance treatment | Excluded as gradual | Excluded as gradual |
| Effect on cover | Value, conditions, sometimes appetite | Value, conditions, sometimes appetite |
Survey findings and repair evidence
- Get the extent quantified — moisture readings, thickness measurements, photographs.
- Get a repair quote so the cost is a number rather than a fear.
- Tell the insurer. Concealing a survey finding is a disclosure problem on top of a condition one.
- Ask whether it changes the sum insured, the conditions or their appetite.
- Decide whether to rectify now or price it into the vessel's value.
- Keep the survey and any rectification evidence in the maintenance file.
Preventing hull deterioration
- Anodes checked and replaced far more often than feels necessary, especially on shore power.
- A galvanic isolator or isolation transformer where the boat lives connected to a pedestal.
- Antifoul and coatings maintained rather than patched.
- Bilges kept dry, and fresh water leaks fixed rather than pumped.
- Dissimilar metals checked wherever they meet below the waterline.
- A periodic moisture or thickness survey, creating a dated baseline that makes a future sudden claim arguable.
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
- Marine Surveys and Boat Insurance Australia
- Water Ingress and Leak Insurance Claims
- Steel Yacht Insurance in Australia
- Shore Power Surge and Electrical Damage Claims
- Boat Insurance Exclusions Explained
- How To/Survey And Older Boats
- Boat Insurance Underwriting: Surveys, Age and Maintenance
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 It may be wrong, incomplete or out of date, and you should not rely on it as a substitute for the current policy documents or professional advice.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.