Introduction to Marine Insurance Course
This course gives you a complete first view of insurance in the maritime sector. You will learn how the main policies work, how risk, premium and cover relate to each other, what insurers ask for when you take out a policy and how to act when an incident happens. It is designed for maritime professionals, boat owners, operators and advisers who want to understand marine insurance well enough to choose cover wisely and handle claims with confidence.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Introduction to Marine Insurance Course?
This introductory course is devoted entirely to marine insurance as a discipline. You will study the concept of marine insurance and the parties involved, the main maritime risks, compulsory third-party liability, hull and machinery cover, complementary cover such as assistance, towing and salvage, insurance for charter and commercial uses, common exclusions, the information and documents needed to take out a policy, the valuation of vessels and equipment, the duties of the insured, and the full life of a claim from the first actions after a casualty to surveys, subrogation and compensation.
What sets this course apart: unlike broader programs that combine nautical contracts and insurance, it concentrates on how insurance itself works, step by step; it uses the vocabulary insurers, brokers and surveyors use every day; it gives equal weight to choosing cover and to handling casualties and claims; and it ends with an applied project in which you diagnose the risk of a real or simulated vessel or service, select its cover and design an incident and claims protocol.
Program highlights
- Key concepts: insured, policyholder, insurer, broker, surveyor, premium, excess and insured value.
- Third-party liability, hull and machinery and complementary cover for assistance, towing and salvage.
- Insurance for charter, hire, excursions, professional vessels and commercial uses.
- Risk declaration, valuation of vessels and equipment, and the documentation insurers require.
- Casualty handling: first actions, claim files, marine surveys, subrogation and compensation.
- Final project: risk diagnosis, cover selection and an incident and claims protocol for a real case.
Syllabus of the Introduction to Marine Insurance Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of marine insurance, risk management and financial protection in nautical activities
- 1.1. The concept of marine insurance and the differences between nautical insurance, boat insurance, cargo insurance and third-party liability insurance
- 1.2. Main risks in the maritime sphere: material damage, theft, fire, sinking, grounding, collision, pollution and liability towards third parties
- 1.3. The parties to insurance: insured, policyholder, insurer, broker, surveyor, shipowner, skipper, port and affected third parties
- 1.4. The relationship between risk, premium, cover, excess, exclusions, insured value and policy conditions
- 1.5. Why insurance matters for recreational sailing, professional activities, charter, excursions, transport and nautical services
Types of policy, basic cover and frequent exclusions
- 2.1. Compulsory third-party liability insurance and its role in personal, material or financial damage caused to others
- 2.2. Hull and machinery insurance for damage to the vessel itself, its engine, equipment, accessories and installed systems
- 2.3. Complementary cover: marine assistance, towing, salvage, theft, personal effects, occupants and legal defense
- 2.4. Insurance for charter, hire, excursions, professional vessels, sporting activities and commercial uses
- 2.5. Common exclusions: gross negligence, lack of maintenance, sailing outside the authorized area, undeclared use and irregular documentation
Taking out cover, documentation, valuation and the obligations of the insured
- 3.1. Information needed to take out a policy: registration, length, engine power, year, flag, home port, use, navigation area and ownership
- 3.2. Valuation of vessels, engines, electronic equipment, accessories, trailers and insurable auxiliary items
- 3.3. Declaration of the risk, the duty of truthfulness, updating changes and the consequences of incomplete or incorrect information
- 3.4. Required documentation: registration, permits, certificates, inspections, qualifications, invoices, photographs and maintenance records
- 3.5. Obligations while the policy is in force: payment, care of the insured property, damage prevention and notification of relevant changes
Marine casualties, surveys, claims and handling of insured incidents
- 4.1. The concept of a marine casualty and the differences between accident, partial damage, total loss, theft, assistance, salvage and liability
- 4.2. First steps after an incident: protecting people, preventing further damage, documenting evidence and notifying the insurer
- 4.3. Claim form, photographs, witnesses, reports, quotations, invoices, police reports and supporting documentation
- 4.4. Marine surveying, damage assessment, probable causes, scope of cover and valuation of repairs
- 4.5. Claims against third parties, shared liability, subrogation, legal defense and negotiation of compensation
Applied project: introduction to marine insurance
- 5.1. Defining the case: a sailing yacht, motorboat, yacht, tender, charter, nautical excursion or small maritime service
- 5.2. Risk diagnosis by use, navigation area, value, crew, passengers, activity, maintenance and documentation
- 5.3. Selecting suitable cover, limits, excesses, exclusions, assistance and third-party liability for the case
- 5.4. Preparing the document file for taking out, renewing and updating the policy and for future claims handling
- 5.5. Designing a protocol for incidents, claims, surveys, prevention and communication with the insurer
Duration and format of the Introduction to Marine Insurance Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Introduction to Marine Insurance Course
Career opportunities after the Introduction to Marine Insurance Course
Questions about the Introduction to Marine Insurance Course
To protect the insured against financial loss or damage connected with a vessel, the cargo it carries and any liability that may arise during maritime activity.
This course focuses only on insurance: how policies are built, what they cover and exclude, what the insured must declare and how a casualty becomes a claim. It does not cover sale, charter or lease agreements.
No. The course starts from the basic concepts and builds up step by step. Familiarity with maritime transport or international trade helps, but motivated beginners can follow it.
Yes. Module 4 covers the first actions after an incident, the claim file and supporting evidence, marine surveys, damage valuation, subrogation and the negotiation of compensation.
Yes. Module 2 reviews insurance for charter, hire, excursions, professional vessels and commercial uses, and the final project lets you choose cover for a case of your own.
No. Navalis Institute teaches the subject; any professional registration as a broker or surveyor depends on the requirements set by the competent authority in each country.
Through practical exercises and case analyses in each module and a final project in which you diagnose a risk, select cover and design an incident and claims protocol.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded, downloadable materials, discussion forums and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at maritime and port professionals, legal advisers, insurance staff, shipowners, charter and excursion operators, boat owners and students of maritime transport, international trade or insurance; basic knowledge of maritime transport or international trade is an advantage.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection and an up-to-date browser.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.