Canal and Narrowboat Insurance

Narrowboat insurance aims to protect you, your craft and other users of the water ways. It does this by providing third party liability cover, cover for various parts of your craft which might get damaged or malfunction and cover for you and your passengers in the form of personal accident cover.

Our canal and narrowboat insurance covers the below as standard:

• Fire, lightning, explosion
• Theft, malicious damage and vandalism
• Weather events
• Freezing of machinery
• Accidental loss and damage

The below are optional additional covers that can choose to include:

• Personal accident
• Breakdown recovery
• Marina benefits
• Protected NCD
• Legal cover

We have provided a summary of the key features of the policy, above. For details of the terms and conditions applicable, please refer to your insurance product information document and policy wording, which are available during the quotation process.

If the craft is your prime and sole place of residence then the gold and platinum versions of the policy can include our residential extension option.

This includes personal liability insurance of £2,000,000 for claims made against you or a member of your family permanently living with you and replacement as new cover for the contents of the craft insured under the policy covering all your household goods, personal effects and valuables kept on board the craft. There is a single item limit of £2,000 for any one item or collection unless disclosed to underwriters and high risk items should not exceed one third of the total sum insured.

In addition you can add business equipment kept on board up to £3,000.

• Personal possessions (jewellery, photographic equipment, sports equipment and clothing and personal effects) with a single item limit of £1,000
• This section excludes items over £1,000, mobile telephones and lap top or tablet computers but these can also be insured as separate items
• Pedal cycle insurance is also available

If you moor in an approved marina, we won’t charge any excess on claims involving loss whilst the boat is in the marina. Let us know which marina you moor in to claim this benefit.

Yes, you can travel along inland tidal stretches provided it is only to enter or leave the non-tidal system. Our friendly specialists can help to advise you on this where necessary.

You can purchase a policy with us through our online quote and buy system or by speaking to one of our friendly specialists. It’s important to get your cover right, so we always recommend speaking to the team if you are unsure. Our Cruise Policy offers cover for those that liveaboard their vessel.

Once it reaches 30 years of age, we will need to see a survey detailing the condition of your narrowboat. This can coincide with your BSS certification. Thereafter, you will need to provide us with a survey every five years going forward. If this isn't provided to us prior to renewal, we would not be able to offer you a renewal quotation. 

For insurance purposes, the BSS certificate does not provide enough information for us to fully understand the condition of your narrowboat. A full survey is required as it includes a hull condition report too.

Yes, we also provide liability for those actively using older boats on slipways or launching onto the water. This third-party cover product includes the removal and disposal of wrecked craft, as well as the re-floating and removal of damaged craft (under 60 years old).

If you took out a policy with us on or after March 2021 date, you are able to view your policy online. You simply need to login to your portal or register for an account. To register you will need to enter your policy number, email address and correspondence postcode. All can be found in your policy documents.

If you renewed your policy on or after June 2022, you are eligible for our online portal. You simply need to login to your portal or register for an account. To register you will need to enter your policy number, email address and correspondence postcode. All can be found in your policy documents.

To register for an account you will need to create a portal. When registering, we will need your Policy reference number, correspondence postcode and email address - all can be found in your policy documents.

We have provided a summary of the key features of the policy, above. For details of the terms and conditions applicable, please refer to the insurance product information document and policy wording, which are available during the quotation process.

It is very important to read your policy documents in detail to understand what’s covered and what is not. Listed below are a few key exclusions you definitely need to know about.

Personal accident cover won’t cover individuals over the age of 76 –If you’re over the age of 76 and you have an accident, the personal accident aspect of our cover will not apply. Other cover relating to the craft however, is not affected by your age. Personal accident cover is only available on private pleasure craft policies. Not included on residential or commercial policies.

Wear and tear not covered – If your craft is under three years old, we can provide mechanical failure cover (see above). Wear and tear however, is not covered at all.

Corrosion – Rust is fairly unavoidable keep an eye out for it and try to prevent it before it causes serious damage as unfortunately, it isn’t covered by our policy.

Loss of value due to age, use or repair – Depreciation is not covered by our narrow boat policy.

Replacements beyond the sums insured on your policy – This policy works on a market value basis. Therefore it’s important to know the true replacement value of your narrow boat. You will be unable to claim for a replacement narrow boat above the value you give us. If you’re unsure of the value of your narrow boat, a marine surveyor will be able to make an assessment and give you an accurate value.

If you would prefer to spread the cost of your canal and narrowboat insurance policy, you have the option of setting up a Direct Debit to pay your premium by monthly instalments through our preferred provider, Premium Credit Limited (PCL).

To find out more about PCL and direct debit payments, select Direct Debit.

To understand more about how PCL work together with Towergate, please read our Regulatory Information.