Navigating Liability Insurance for European Events

(Updated 5/4/2026 with contributions by Dave Jursik, CGRA Treasurer and long-time ILCA Sailor - thanks!)

Recent changes have shifted how liability insurance is handled at International Sailing Events, particularly affecting US-based sailors participating in EurILCA events (e.g., Europa Cup, European Championships, Worlds). Navigating event insurance requirements is now more complex; this article should help you determine the best approach for you or your sailor.

The Perfect Storm: A Timeline of Changes.

This shift, brewing since 2022, turned in a "perfect storm" in 2025. The issue is so significant that, as of April 2026, no solution exists for sailors preparing for the 2028 Olympics.

Before 2022, Chubb Insurance Company and US Sailing offered various commercial and personal liability policies. Risk Strategies, through the Gowrie Group, had been a primary provider for decades via their Burgee (commercial) and One-Design (retail) programs. The One-Design Program was the long-standing standard for dinghy sailors, with Chubb serving as the primary underwriter for these common sailing-related policies.

1. Sarasota 2020. A tragic sailing school accident in Sarasota, Florida, led to multiple lawsuits, including against US Sailing. Consequently, in 2022, Chubb (US Sailing's underwriter) dropped coverage for US Sailing certified race officials and any instructors not directly employed by US Sailing.
2. Miami 2025. Another tragic accident in Miami made Chubb's remaining youth program underwriting even more expensive and they dropped underwiriting of the popular One-Design Program. While Risk Strategies secured new underwriters like Pinnacle, AIG, and Progressive to fill gaps, the revised programs are severely limited—most notably restricting coverage to US and Canadian waters.
3. Risk Strategies Sale 2025. Brown & Brown acquired Accession, Risk Strategies' parent company. Although initially intended to operate independently, the brand and resources were fully integrated into Brown & Brown by May 2026. While some programs transitioned to the new parent company, the Gowrie Group and Risk Strategies no longer exist as independent brands.
4. EurILCA insurance changes 2026. In 2026, EurILCA ceased offering on-site insurance and raised the required liability coverage to €2 million. While they provide a list of insurance providers, these typically only cover European-based sailors; none currently offer coverage for US-based sailors.

Current US-based Programs: Gaps and Limitations.

Note that regattas usually require liability-only coverage, though some policies offer comprehensive options. When investigating, keep these common sticking points in mind:

1. Sailboats under 18'. Most policies target keelboats over 21'. Unlike the old Chubb One-Design program, traditional keelboat policies will not work for dinghies.
2. Organized racing events. Retail programs typically exclude events where sailors are compensated. However, amateur organized racing should be covered.
3. Sailing outside the US. Most policies are limited to US, Canadian, and sometimes Mexican waters. International coverage was a unique benefit of the discontinued Chubb program.
4. US$2.5 Million liability. Many policies cap coverage at $1M. Finding a $2.5M policy is difficult, and even the old One-Design program likely didn't reach this threshold.
5. Cover your sailor. Make sure that the coverage will extend to your sailor, given their age and where they live, especially if they are in College or are over 18.
6. Charter boat coverage. This is currently nearly impossible to secure. While you can cover your own US-based boat, covering a charter requires a specific policy inclusion no longer available under Brown & Brown, or any other underwriter I have seen.

Here are the links to the existing programs that may work for you.

• Brown & Brown One-Design Insurance. Valid unless you reside in CA, FL, WA, MI, ND, SD, KS, TN, or VA. This program covers only US citizens and US-based boats.
• Chubb Boats and Personal Watercraft. Standard personal watercraft limitations apply: US only, no charters, and typically under $2M in coverage.

Note: I received two other policies from sailors in the region. One from Progressive Insurance and the other from the Wayfinder program from Pinnacle. The policies looked great, especially the Wayfinder policy, but they were both specifically limited to sailing in the US. The cost was similar to what we ended up paying for the Umbrella Policy, a bit less but not significant.

The International Solution: Securing an Umbrella Liability Policy.

After consulting experts across Europe and the US, an umbrella liability policy appears to be the most viable current solution. I want to thank Denece Herrera from Brown & Brown for her patience and Scott Williamson from ILCA-NA for connecting me with sailors and EurILCA. While not inexpensive, this approach will suffice until the US insurance market evolves.

An umbrella policy provides liability coverage that "sits over" your primary home and auto insurance once those limits are exhausted. If you have a teenage driver, you likely already have one; if not, it is worth considering. Ensure your policy covers the following:

• Coverage in $1 million increments, ranging from $1 million to $5 million
• Provide worldwide protection, even when traveling internationally
• Covers legal defense costs
• Includes wage loss coverage for court appearances
• Cover you and your spouse, any person named on the policy declarations, any relative or dependent living with you
• Will be in effect as long as the ‘watercraft’ (may not specifically call out a sailboat) is not motorized and it’s under 27’
• Will be in effect at a ‘race’ as long as there is no compensation involved (awards are fine, but confirm with your broker)

Obtaining an umbrella policy usually requires using your existing home or auto insurer. You will need to maximize the liability limits on your underlying policies first. In our case, increasing those limits costs approximately $600 annually, and a $3M umbrella policy costs roughly $1K per year. Given that we have a teen driving soon, the additional protection made sense for us beyond sailing.

Proof of Coverage: Prep Your Insurance Policy Pages.

To prove coverage at events, provide your sailor with the specific policy pages listed below. Note that some insurers (like Allstate) may only provide these via hard copy upon request. Look for sections covering:

1. Basic Policy Information (insurance company, policy type, name insureds, effective date)
2. Policy Summary Declarations (liability limits)
3. Insured Persons (the policyholders named in the declarations)
4. Geographic scope (expressly states where the occurrences are covered)
5. Type of activities covered (states what types of activities are covered by an insured person)
6. Reference to minimum underlying benefits for watercraft (this section talks specifically about watercraft)

Make sure they take the printed pages of the policy that have the relevant information. In our case, he has used it for two events. On the first one, they did not ask for much information, but on the second one, they went through the policy. So, you never know. I prepared an email that he carries with him that has a summary of how the policy covers the EurILCA requirements.

Reference

Here is the list of European Programs I was referred to that I was able to reach for an answer:

1. Topsail Marine & Leisure Insurance (France) - No
2. Noble Marine Insurance Services (UK) - No
3. VDWS International (Germany) - European residents only - No
4. Inov Expats (Spain) - No response (3x tries)
5. Risk Strategies - One-Design Program (US) - The primary insurance broker for Yacht Clubs and Sailing Programs in the US - No
6. AIG - Wayfinder Program (US) - Offers a One-Design policy - No

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