The Dutch boat insurance broker guarantees German sailors "on average lower premiums than in Germany and in some cases more extensive conditions". This is emphasised by Reinier van der Post, owner of Eerdmans Yacht Insurance. He is thus reacting to a Message from YACHT online. It reported on the surprising cancellation of all boat insurance contracts for German and Belgian customers by Unigarant, a subsidiary of the Dutch automobile club ANWB.
As reported, Eerdmans had taken over a large proportion of Unigarant's customers and covered them with the Dutch "Europeesche" at the same premiums and on the same conditions. However, Europeesche had also informed its brokers shortly beforehand that it would no longer accept foreign customers, with the exception of German and Belgian sailors. This had led to uncertainty among Dutch boat insurance providers as well as customers cancelled by Unigarant.
"Germans welcome as customers"
Van der Post now clarifies in a letter to YACHT: "Almost all insurers in the Netherlands can and want to take out insurance for German and Belgian customers. It is not a problem if the boat is not in the Netherlands, but somewhere else in Europe. You are welcome as a customer."
The fact that it is difficult to insure foreigners in the Netherlands, with the exception of Germans and Belgians, is due to the legislation and various agreements between the Netherlands and other countries, explains van der Post. In addition, the boat insurance market in the Netherlands is very small for insurers with customers outside Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. This is financially and administratively unmanageable for providers with only a few hundred customers. And customer service in the respective national language of the foreign customers cannot be realised either.
According to Van der Post, in his experience this is no different in Germany. Here, too, many providers only insure customers who are resident in Germany.
"Customers satisfied with the change"
The situation is completely different for German and Belgian customers. For them, Eerdmans is the largest Dutch insurer. They not only work with "Europeeschen", but also with other insurance companies. And, says van der Post: "All our employees who have contact with customers are either German or speak and write fluent German. There is a German telephone number, and all correspondence as well as policies and insurance conditions are written in German."
As a result, it was only a logical step for Unigarant and Eerdmans Yachtversicherungen to transfer the German and Belgian customers to a specialised insurer. "And from the looks of things so far, those affected are extremely satisfied with this transition," says Reinier van der Post.
