Every year the sailing calendar is packed with races for sailors, including the Isle of Wight’s Round the Island Race in July, Cowes Week in August as well as numerous regional events. Taking part in a race is thrilling however they carry the risk of an incident such as a collision, crew injury or gear damage.

Making sure you have the right insurance in place before entering a race not only ensures you comply with event requirements but also gives you financial and practical protection. So you can focus on the race, not the risks.

Here are some things to consider before signing up and a few things to look out for when buying your boat insurance:

Does my insurance cover racing?

• Many standard pleasure craft policies either exclude racing entirely or only permit limited types of racing. Some insurers automatically cover low-key local club events, while others require a specific “racing endorsement” or a separate race policy.
• Action: Check your policy’s exclusions and the definitions for “racing” or “yacht racing risks.” If the wording is unclear or you aren’t sure, contact your broker or insurer and ask whether racing is covered.

How to review your policy wording

• Locate your current policy document and review sections such as permitted uses, exclusions, endorsements, liability, and hull/physical damage
• Search for terms related to racing. If you find wording like “racing excluded” or clauses restricting “competitive” use, speak with your insurer or broker for clarification.

Which covers are affected by racing?

• Liability / third-party injury and property damage: Racing raises the likelihood of collisions and claims from other competitors, making adequate liability cover essential.
• Hull / own-boat damage: Competitive sailing can increase the risk of structural, rigging or equipment damage.
• Medical / personal injury: Some policies include crew medical cover — check your limits and any exclusions that could apply during a race.

Required and recommended limits

Insurance requirements for race participants can vary from event to event, so it’s important to find out if there are specific requirements before signing up for a race. You will generally need third party liability insurance as a minimum.

Action: Confirm your insurance meets or exceeds the minimum requirement before signing up to a race.

Excesses and racing-specific exclusions

• Adding a racing endorsement can raise your policy excess as some insurers apply an additional “racing excess” for incidents such as collisions or mast damage that occurs during a race.
• Action: Ask your insurer what excesses apply to racing claims and whether specific exclusions would affect likely racing scenarios.

Documents to bring to the event

• Carry printed or digital copies of your certificate of insurance showing the policy number, limits, and effective dates.
• Take any written racing endorsement or insurer confirmation that covers the specific event, if you have one.
• Also bring vessel registration, measurement certificates, crew list, and any required safety certificates.
• Action: Keep these documents on board in a waterproof folder and with your shore contact.

If you plan to compete in a race but are unsure if you have appropriate cover, speak to a specialist marine insurance broker, such as our boat and travel insurance partner Bishop Skinner Marine. The team can review your existing cover, explain exclusions and endorsements, and help ensure you can race with confidence.

For advice, contact the Bishop Skinner Marine team on 0330 818 2355 or email insurance@bishopskinner.com and tell them you are taking part in a race.

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