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Skipper liability insurance and charter deposit insurance for Greece

Skipper liability insurance pays claims against you, as skipper of a chartered yacht, that the yacht's own insurance does not pay. Charter deposit insurance refunds the deposit the base keeps. DigiCare Insurance arranges both for charters in Greece, for one trip or a whole year, and you can buy them up to 12:00 noon on the day the charter starts. Own the yacht? See charter yacht insurance for owners or our yacht insurance.

  • €550,000 for damage to the chartered yacht once gross negligence is established, deductible €2,500 after the deposit
  • Your deposit back for a covered loss, up to the amount in the charter contract, less a deductible of 10% of the deposit, at least €100
  • €50,000 security if the yacht is held in a foreign port, and €20,000 for the owner's lost follow-up charters

Both covers pay only where the yacht's own insurance does not, and neither pays if the skipper lacks the licence the yacht requires.

Get a skipper insurance quote

Reviewed by Costas Matheou, licensed insurance agent

Law 4926/2022 and VVG § 86

Who pays when you damage a chartered yacht in Greece

Greek law puts the compulsory liability insurance on the yacht, not on you (Law 4926/2022, Art. 17). When you damage a chartered yacht, a claim usually runs in this order:

  1. The base keeps your deposit for damage up to that amount.
  2. For a covered loss, deposit insurance refunds what the base kept, less a deductible of 10% of the deposit (at least €100).
  3. Above the deposit, the owner's hull insurance pays under its own terms. The deposit usually equals its deductible.
  4. If the damage was grossly negligent, the owner's insurer can take over the owner's claim against you, as far as the charter contract and your fault allow (for a German-law hull policy, VVG § 86; Greek-law policies follow the same principle).
  5. Skipper liability pays that claim up to €550,000, with a €2,500 deductible after the deposit is forfeited, once an authority, a court or a settlement the insurer accepts establishes gross negligence. Under its terms it also pays injury and damage claims the yacht's liability cover does not pay.

What each cover pays

Skipper liability (private charter)

Limits and deductible
Main liability sum in your policy · €550,000 yacht damage on established gross negligence (€2,500 after the deposit) · €100,000 financial loss · €50,000 port security · €20,000 for the owner's booked and paid follow-up charters lost (first 3 days yours) · €1,000 hotel and travel if the damage stops the return trip
Never pays
Yacht damage without established gross negligence; a skipper without the required licence; a paid skipper you hire

What it pays

Claims against you and your crew from skippering someone else's yacht; injury and property claims between skipper and crew (property over €150); a dinghy up to 20 hp. Trip or annual

Professional skipper liability

Limits and deductible
As for the private cover: €550,000 yacht damage on gross negligence (€2,500), €100,000, €50,000, €20,000, €1,000; main liability sum in your policy
Never pays
Work accidents in your own business

What it pays

Professional skipper insurance for paid skippers: private and commercial charters, plus crew and guests' claims (property over €150); a dinghy up to 100 hp. Annual only

Yacht charter deposit insurance

Limits and deductible
Up to the deposit in your charter contract (over €15,000 on request) · deductible 10% of the deposit, at least €100 (with regatta cover 15%, at least €300)
Never pays
What the base's damage waiver covers; engine or gearbox damage not caused by an accident, fire, theft or natural disaster; light sails; scratches not through the gelcoat

What it pays

The deposit the base keeps for loss of or damage to the yacht, its equipment, inventory and dinghy. Trip or annual

Yacht charter cancellation cover

Limits and deductible
Limits and deductible in your policy documents
Never pays
Exclusions in the information sheet and conditions

What it pays

Cancellation of the charter, on the terms in your policy documents. Buy within 21 days of booking

Single covers, or a package for one charter of up to 6 weeks with the skipper and up to 11 crew. Sources: Sealogy information sheets and the special conditions for skipper liability (§ 2, § 3) and deposit insurance (§ 2 to § 5), checked 17 October 2026.

Free quote, no obligation

How much skipper liability and deposit insurance cost

We quote every charter. The premium depends on trip or annual cover, the yacht type and length (up to or over 10 m), the deposit you insure and whether you take a package, and it includes insurance premium tax.

  • Quote for your dates and deposit
  • Policy and invoice before you pay
Get a skipper insurance quote

  • Deposit for a 13 to 15 m yacht

    Typical at Greek bases
    €1,500 to €3,500, refunded if the yacht comes back undamaged

  • Damage waiver

    Typical at Greek bases
    About €200 to €450 a week, not refunded

  • Deposit insurance

    Typical at Greek bases
    Refunds what the base keeps, minus the deductible

Deposits and waivers are set by each charter contract, not by law. The figures are charter listings from October 2026, not our prices.

Arranged through Sealogy GmbH, a Berlin underwriting agent, and underwritten by the EU insurer named in your policy.

Licence rule: decision 3342/02/2004

Which skipper insurance fits your charter

You skipper a bareboat for family or friends
Suitable cover: Skipper liability, for the trip or a year
You leave a deposit at the base
Suitable cover: Deposit insurance for the exact amount in the charter contract
You are paid to skipper, lead a flotilla or deliver yachts
Suitable cover: Professional skipper liability, annual
You charter several times a year
Suitable cover: An annual policy
You bought the base's damage waiver
On conditions: Deposit insurance does not pay what the waiver covers; skipper liability still applies
Your licence is Greek, or a certificate issued or recognised by a state, club or sailing school abroad (such as the ICC)
On conditions: Accepted in Greece within the licence's limits; a certificate not issued in an EU state needs a Greek or English translation
Motor yacht over 750 hp or sail area over 150 m²
On conditions: On request
You hired a paid skipper for your charter
Not covered: Your private policy excludes the paid skipper; the skipper needs a professional policy
No licence, or one that does not cover this yacht
Not covered: No cover. Book a skippered charter instead
You live in the US or Canada
Not covered: Not insurable

Greek rules on who may skipper a chartered yacht: decision 3342/02/2004, kept in force by Law 4926/2022, Art. 21.

Exclusions

What skipper and deposit insurance do not pay

  • Both covers: a skipper without the licence required for the yacht and the sailing area
  • Both covers: intentional damage; regattas, unless your policy includes them
  • Skipper liability: damage to the chartered yacht unless gross negligence is established
  • Skipper liability, private policy: a paid skipper or crew you hire
  • Deposit: whatever the base's damage waiver already covers
  • Deposit: gross negligence may cut the payment in proportion to the fault
  • Deposit: engine or gearbox damage not caused by an accident, fire, theft or natural disaster
  • Deposit: scratches that do not go through the gelcoat; spinnaker, gennaker and Code Zero
  • Deposit: bad mooring or anchoring, a yacht left unattended off an open coast, loose items lost overboard or simply stolen
  • Deposit: chartering the yacht on to someone else for payment

Example: €3,000 deposit kept

€3,000

You · €300Deposit insurance · €2,700

Example: a 14 m sailing yacht at an Athens marina, deposit €3,000 (charter listing, October 2026). A grounding damages the rudder and the base keeps the whole deposit. For a covered loss with no reduction, deposit insurance pays €2,700; the €300 deductible is yours.

4 steps

How to buy skipper and deposit insurance

  1. 01

    Tell us about the charter

    The covers you want, trip or annual, dates, base, yacht type and length, the deposit, the crew and the skipper's licence.

  2. 02

    Get the terms

    We send the premium, the information sheet and the conditions. Sealogy checks the application; the policy and invoice are your acceptance.

  3. 03

    Pay before the handover

    Pay promptly: if the first premium is paid late, cover starts on payment. Buy by 12:00 noon on the day the charter starts; cancellation cover within 21 days of booking.

  4. 04

    At the base

    Carry your original licence, sign the check-in and check-out protocols and keep the deposit receipt.

Have ready: the charter contract with the deposit amount, the skipper's licence, the crew list, the check-in and check-out protocol.

  • Charter contract
  • Skipper licence
  • Crew list
  • Check-in protocol

During the charter

Damage during the charter: what to do

Report the claim to us and the claims line in writing straight away, with a phone call first if the damage is over €2,500. Do not admit fault to anyone and do not start repairs before the insurer agrees. Report a collision, fire, theft or serious damage to the port authority.

  • Deposit claim: charter contract, crew list, check-in and check-out protocols, deposit receipt, the base's itemised costs, a damage report signed by skipper and crew, photos
  • The insurer pays within 14 days of finishing its claim review; it may wait for official proceedings
Get a skipper insurance quote

FAQ

Questions about skipper liability and deposit insurance

Which sailing licence do I need to skipper a bareboat in Greece?
Greek rules accept Greek licences and diplomas, and certificates issued or officially recognised by a state authority, a nautical or sailing club or a sailing school abroad, such as the ICC; a certificate not issued in an EU state needs a Greek or English translation, and the port authority may ask for a signed declaration (decision 3342/02/2004). A licence limited to daylight, coastal waters or motor yachts does not cover a yacht beyond those limits. Charter companies usually also ask for a second experienced crew member.
The charter yacht is insured. Why do I need skipper liability?
The yacht's liability and hull policies pay first. Skipper liability pays where they do not: claims between skipper and crew, gaps in the yacht's cover, and the owner's insurer claiming back from you after gross negligence.
Can the owner's insurer make me pay for the damage?
Yes, after it pays the owner it takes over the owner's claim against you, as far as the charter contract and your fault allow. Charter contracts commonly limit you to the deposit, except for intent or gross negligence. Skipper liability pays that claim once gross negligence is established, up to €550,000, with a €2,500 deductible after the deposit.
Damage waiver or deposit insurance?
The damage waiver is a fee the base keeps; it lowers or removes what you owe. Deposit insurance (sometimes called yacht charter excess insurance) refunds the deposit the base keeps. The deposit policy does not pay what the waiver already covers, so buying both for the same damage means paying twice.
How big is the deposit at a Greek charter base?
Each charter contract sets it. October 2026 listings show €1,500 to €3,500 for 13 to 15 m yachts. Insure the exact amount in your contract, because the sum insured must match it.
I skipper for pay. Which policy fits?
Professional skipper liability: annual only, for private and commercial charters, including guests' claims and a dinghy up to 100 hp. A private skipper policy excludes a paid skipper hired by the policyholder.
When is it too late to buy?
Skipper liability and deposit insurance can be bought until 12:00 noon on the day the charter starts. Cancellation cover must be bought within 21 days of booking. If the premium is paid late, cover starts on payment.
Trip or annual policy?
Skipper liability and deposit insurance both come for one charter or for a year. An annual policy covers several charters; a package covers one charter of up to 6 weeks, the skipper and up to 11 crew.
Does it include health or accident cover for the crew?
Not in skipper liability or deposit insurance. For medical cover abroad, take travel insurance.
Can I cancel the policy?
You can withdraw within 14 days, in writing, from a policy of one month or more. A policy for a single shorter charter has no withdrawal right.
I own the yacht and charter it out. Is this my cover?
No. Owners need charter use approved on their own yacht policy: see charter yacht insurance and yacht insurance in Greece.
I live in the US or Canada. Can I buy it?
No. US and Canadian citizens and residents cannot be insured, and skipper liability does not cover losses connected with the USA or Canada.
Important information

Cover is arranged through Sealogy GmbH, Berlin, an underwriting agent, and underwritten by the EU insurer named in your policy. Terms, exclusions and limits are in the information sheet and policy conditions provided before purchase.

We show no price: your premium depends on the charter, the yacht and the deposit you insure, and includes insurance premium tax.

The policy is governed by German law (Insurance Contract Act, VVG); policy documents are in English or German.

You may withdraw within 14 days from a policy of one month or more; a policy for a single shorter charter has no withdrawal right.

Deposit and damage-waiver figures come from charter listings in October 2026 and are not our prices.

DigiCare Insurance is a licensed insurance intermediary. Legal information · How we review content

Complaints: contact us first. You can also turn to the German insurance ombudsman (Versicherungsombudsmann), the insurers' supervisor BaFin or, in Greece, the Consumer Ombudsman (Συνήγορος του Καταναλωτή).

Reviewed by Costas Matheou, licensed insurance agent · Last updated: