BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Deposit, excess, insurance: what you actually risk when renting a boat
Blocked deposits, excess waivers, cancellation cover: how the guarantees of a boat rental really work, and the traps to avoid.
It is the contract line everyone skims at booking and re-reads in a panic at the first scratch: the security deposit. Here is how it actually works, and how to sail with a clear head.
The deposit: blocked, not charged
At handover, the operator blocks a deposit — from €500 for a RIB to €5,000 and beyond for a catamaran or yacht. Bank imprint or pre-authorisation: nothing is charged if the boat comes back as it left. In case of damage, the retention is capped at the deposit: that is your maximum exposure… as long as the damage falls under the boat's insurance.
The excess, and its waiver
The boat is insured by its owner, but with an excess that generally matches the deposit amount. Hence the most useful option on the market: the excess waiver (5 to 10% of the rental price, or a daily flat fee), which cuts your exposure to a few hundred euros. On a catamaran week with a €5,000 deposit, it is often the most rational line in the budget.
What the deposit does not cover
Read the exclusions list: gross negligence, sailing outside the permitted area or at night where forbidden, racing without consent, damage to the dinghy and outboard (very often excluded from the waiver!), personal effects. A lost dinghy or a drowned outboard is paid in full — THE classic Caribbean claim.
Cancellation cover
Separate from the deposit, it refunds the rental if you must cancel (illness, the unexpected). Policies vary wildly: some offers are 'flexible' (refund up to D-30 or D-15), others strict. Boat-Comparator displays the cancellation policy whenever the platform publishes it — a selection criterion in its own right, especially in Caribbean hurricane season.
Three reflexes before signing
1. Photograph everything at handover (hull, propeller, dinghy, bimini). 2. Check the exact deposit amount and blocking method (pre-authorisations saturate some card limits). 3. Compare the excess waiver price across platforms: on the same boat, it varies by a factor of two.