The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) informed that after a new regulation, all speedboats with a hull length below 15 m, personal watercrafts/jet skis and similar vessels must now be covered by a 3. part liability insurance. If the vessel does not have insurance coverage, the operators will not be allowed to operate it.
Currently, new requirements about mandatory third party liability insurance, strict liability in case of personal injury and loss of pendant as well as wider options for confiscation of vessels have entered into force.
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In April, the Danish parliament passed a bill to enhance safety at sea. The new rules require the operators to have a third party liability insurance in cases of injury, loss of pendant or property damage.
If an operator is not covered by an insurance, he/she will not be allowed to operate a speedboat or personal watercraft. Also, the operator must have a certificate documenting proper insurance coverage.
The mandatory third party liability insurance aims to ensure greater certainty of compensation for the injured party when accidents involving speedboats, personal watercrafts and similar vessels happen.
The regulations do not only cover Danish speedboats and personal watercrafts. Foreign vessels that enter Danish waters must also have insurance. If a vessel does not have the proper insurance, it is possible to purchase short-term insurance.
The new requirements do not only cover personal watercrafts and similar vessels but also speedboats with a hull length below 15 metres. Specifically, the rules include the following:
- The third part liability insurance must include compensation in accordance with the Danish merchant shipping act for all damages that involve personal watercrafts and speedboats.
- The third party liability insurance must include compensation up to the limit stated in the Danish merchant shipping act (approximately 27 million DKK for personal injury and 13.5 million for property damage).
- Strict liability covers personal injury and loss of pendant. This will give the injured party the best possible terms as compensation is not dependent upon the specific actions of the vessel operator.
- The options for confiscation of a vessel have been improved, among other things due to reckless behavior at sea. Thus, the consequences for those who put others at risk become more severe.
