Because there is a risk that you will cause damage to the chartered vessel, with the result that it is not ready for use in time for the next charter. And because regress claims may be made against you for the loss of the charter business either for legal reasons or because of the charter contract.
The consequential damages insurance for charters covers legitimate regress claims arising from the loss of charter business from the fourth day of the subsequent charter and up to €13,000. Because with this cover you can charter wherever you want, as often as you want, whatever boat you want, and for as long as you want – worldwide!
NOTE:
There are rival offers available which include consequential damages insurance in the skipper's liability insurance. We regard this as only limited cover, however, because under the terms of the General Liability Insurance Conditions (AHB) follow-up costs are only paid if you are legally obliged to pay by the laws of the country in question.
Because this is too little for the charter companies in many cases, there is sometimes an agreement in the terms and conditions of the charter contract to the effect that the charterer must pay the costs of consequential damages which he has incurred (thus the legal requirement is possibly replaced by a private contractual agreement). However, private agreements are not covered by the AHB, which is why our conditions state:
"Our insurance covers consequential damages
- arising from legal liability and
- contractual agreement."
A minor difference – but a major impact.