Club Marine, which issues its policies as agent for Allianz Australia, may ask for evidence of a boat's condition or value when you apply or renew: survey reports, condition reports, rigging reports, photos and valuations. Its guide to condition and survey reports sets out which one it wants and when.
Which report for which boat
| Boat | Report | Who signs it |
|---|---|---|
| Cruiser, yacht, catamaran, houseboat, trimaran, moored trailer sailer | Survey Report or Marine Craft Risk Evaluation | Qualified marine surveyor or shipwright |
| Runabout, jet ski, trailered trailer sailer | Condition Report: Trailerable Boats | Qualified marine mechanic or boating service centre |
Either the Survey Report or the Risk Evaluation meets the requirement, as long as it's done out of the water and covers the whole underwater area. Whether you need one depends on the boat's age, type, hull material and reported condition.
How recent, and how often
A report from the last 12 months is accepted when the boat has recently changed owner. Where it hasn't, a report from the last 2 years may be accepted. After that, Club Marine asks for a new report every 5 years, and calls it mandatory if you want to keep insuring the boat with them.
Rigging
If a yacht's standing rigging is older than 10 years, Club Marine may ask for its Annual Rigging Systems Maintenance Checklist, completed by a qualified marine rigger. Rigging age and racing cover both decide whether it's requested.
What the report needs
- An out-of-water inspection. Every report type, including the trailerable condition report.
- A named inspector. The report is dated and names the person and business who did it.
- Photos as well. Two colour photos: a side shot from bow to stern and a stern shot. Photos never replace the report.
- A physical inspection. Club Marine treats any report written from photos alone, or by AI from images, as void.
No sea trial is required.
What happens to the recommendations
Club Marine asks for confirmation of repairs, or a maintenance plan, for anything the report says needs attention. It may raise the excess, change the cover terms or decline cover, and where a defect affects seaworthiness, repairs may need doing before full cover starts.
For the surveyor
Write each defect with its location and a clear recommendation, and separate the items that affect seaworthiness. Those are the ones Club Marine will ask the owner to fix before it covers the boat. With Axsail, you dictate each finding on the hard and the report comes out with its recommendations and grades, ready to sign.