Boat Insurance Electrical Survey
Sometimes an insurer, or a surveyor acting for one, asks for the boat's electrics to be looked at specifically. This service is an on-board electrical inspection with a written report of what was found, so you have something clear to pass on. It is separate from a pre-purchase survey, which is about deciding whether to buy.
Insurers' requirements vary, so the first step is always to check exactly what they have asked for. Send us the wording from the insurer or the hull survey and we will tell you whether an electrical inspection covers it before booking.
We do not set or interpret insurance policy terms. What we provide is a practical electrical inspection by a marine electrician, written up in plain English.
What the electrical inspection covers
The inspection concentrates on the areas that most often raise safety concerns:
- Battery installation, securing, ventilation and main cable protection
- Shore power inlet, lead, RCD protection and polarity
- Distribution panel, fuses and breakers against cable sizes
- Condition of visible wiring, terminations and bilge-area cabling
- Bonding and earthing where relevant
- Any signs of overheating or improvised connections
The written report
Findings are written up with the item, what was seen and whether it needs attention now or can be planned. Photographs help where something is hard to describe. The report sets out the condition as found on the day; it is not a guarantee that no fault exists elsewhere.
If remedial work is needed
If the inspection turns up items to put right, we can quote for the work, but you are free to use whoever you prefer. Where repairs follow damage that is the subject of a claim, we can give a written, itemised quote describing the electrical work for your insurer to consider.
Boat electrical repairs · Boat rewiring
How this differs from our other surveys
Our marine electrical survey is a broader look at the whole system, often used before a refit or to plan upgrades. A pre-purchase electrical survey is aimed at buyers. This inspection is narrower and arranged around what an insurer has raised. If you are not sure which you need, tell us why the survey was requested and we will point you to the right one.
Marine electrical survey · What a pre-purchase electrical survey covers
Preparing the boat for the inspection
Have the keys, the shore power lead and access to the battery compartment, engine space and distribution panel ready. Clearing lockers that hide cable runs saves time and lets more of the installation be seen. If there is a wiring diagram, previous survey or list of recent electrical work, leave it on board or send a copy beforehand. Let us know about anything you already suspect, such as a breaker that trips, a smell of hot insulation or a battery that will not hold charge, so it can be looked at in detail. We work from Brighton to Southampton, at the berth or in the yard, and the visit is arranged around access to the boat.
Frequently asked questions
Will my insurer accept your report?
That is the insurer's decision. Send us their exact request first and we will tell you whether our electrical inspection addresses it.
Is this the same as a full hull survey?
No. It covers the electrical installation only. Hull, rigging and engine are for a marine surveyor or engineer.
Can you inspect a boat out of the water?
Yes, ashore or afloat. Shore power checks need a supply available, so let us know where the boat is.
Do I need to be on board?
It helps to have the keys and access to lockers and the battery compartment. Being there lets us talk through findings, but it is not essential.
Arrange an electrical inspection
Send the boat details, where it is and what the insurer has asked for, and we will confirm the scope and quote in writing.