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When and how to change boat insurance in France?

You may not be satisfied with your insurance following insufficient compensation after a claim, a contract that is too rigid, unnecessary options, a premium that is too high or even a lack of guarantees. There is no shortage of reasons that can push you to cancel your boat insurance contract. We take stock of the different ways to cancel the insurance that covers your motorboat or sailboat in this article.

Sailboat and motorboat in marina


Why should you regularly review your insurance contracts?


Specialists recommend reviewing boat insurance contracts at least once every 2 years. Indeed,

  • your needs or situation may change over time

  • your insurance premium increases each year by 5 to 20%

  • new players and new offers enter the pleasure boating market every year

Reviewing your insurance contract regularly allows you to maintain coverage adapted to your situation, neither too expensive taking into account the reduced risk or on the contrary, nor too light compared to a level higher risks.


You can compare your insurance contract for free on this specialized site.

Let's now take stock of the terms and conditions for terminating an insurance contract for a motorboat, sailboat, barge or yacht.


Cancel your boat's insurance contract when it expires


The simplest solution is to cancel your boat's insurance contract when it expires. Otherwise, it will renew automatically on the scheduled expiry date. You must give notice of at least 2 months in this case.

sailboat by the coast

In other words, you must indicate to your insurance company or broker that you wish to terminate your boat insurance contract at least 2 months before its expiry date by sending a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt. If the expiry date of your contract is April 1st, you must inform your insurance company no later than January 31st of your wish to cancel. The postmark and the photocopy of your shipment will be taken as proof.


Note that the expiration date is not necessarily the date you signed your contract. For example, you may have signed your contract on September 15 and the company that insures your boat may set an expiry date of January 1. You will find this information in the general conditions of your contract.


Cancel your boat’s insurance contract when it expires


There are several ways to terminate a boat insurance contract after expiry, that is to say beyond 2 months' notice or after expiry. of the contract.


It is possible to terminate a contract if:

boat for children
  • the contract itself allows it

  • the change in your personal or professional situation results in the modification of the risk initially covered

  • the contributions or the excess by the insurer increases beyond a certain threshold (the contract specifies the minimum percentage increase necessary to be able to cancel)

  • the boat has suffered a loss (if the insured boat no longer exists or if the risk increases or decreases, for example)

These cases allow you to cancel the insurance contract for your motor boat or sailboat out of date.


Terminate the boat insurance contract with the Chatel law


The protection of all consumers is governed by the Chatel law of January 28, 2005. It concerns in particular boat insurance since it takes into account individual insurance contracts taken out by individuals outside their professional activity.


The law requires insurance companies to send the insured a expiration notice

annual which tells them the deadline until which they can request termination of their boat insurance contract.

sailboat in port

This letter must be sent to them at least 15 days before the contract expires. This notice may contain indications on an increase in contributions or the deductible which you can obviously refuse. As seen above, you can terminate your contract by sending a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt before the expiry of the notice period.


There are other situations which may allow you to end your contract.

  1. If the insurance companydoes not send the annual expiry notice 15 days before the expiry date, you have 20 days to cancel your boat insurance contract. After this period, it will no longer be possible to do so.

  2. If the insurance company does not send the annual expiry notice or forgets to indicate the deadline date of termination, you can terminate your boat insurance contract whenever you wish, by sending a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt.


Terminate the insurance contract in the event of transfer of the boat


If you decide to sell your motor boat or sailboat, you can cancel your boat insurance contract after expiry date thanks to article L121-11 of the Code of Insurance.

This article of law is valid for both land motor vehicles and motor boats or pleasure sailboats.

sailing ship

The boat insurance contract is suspended the day after the sale at midnight. The guarantees which cover the boat are therefore no longer valid the day after the sale.


You can postpone your insurance contract on your new boat by making the necessary modifications with your insurer to adapt the contract to your new boat. The contributions are therefore subject to change.


If you do not have a new boat to insure, you and the insurer have 10 days to terminate permanently the boat insurance contract by >registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt. If 6 months after the sale neither party has come forward, the contract is terminated automatically. But remember all the same to send a termination letter within 10 days, it's always better.


Insurance contract terminated by the insurer


Don't panic if your contract was terminated by your insurer and not on your initiative.

Certain cases allow your boat insurance company to be able to cancel your contract. For example:

boat in marina
  • You have made a false claim declaration

  • The risk is aggravated and the insurer does not wish to assume it

  • You have not paid your contributions. In fact, if you do not pay your contributions, 10 days after a late payment you may receive a formal notice asking you to pay your boat insurance premium. Your insurer can go so far as to end the contract.


To manage all these situations, BoatOn, specialized boating insurance broker, is here to help you identify the right contract suited to your situation.


BoatOn is a certified insurance broker and registered in the Single Register of Insurance Intermediaries under number 18003594. More information on orias.fr< /a>.


BoatOn is also a free application available on iPhone and Android. Don't hesitate to download it and tell us what you think about it at paul@ boaton.fr. We will be delighted to hear from you!



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