The Cruising Association has highlighted new rules coming into force in May for yachts and boats being used in Greek waters. They will simplify regulations and paperwork but may imply an insurance fee hike.
Simpler regulations
An article on the Cruising Association's website (link below) highlights the key points of the rules surrounding the new Greek Cruising Tax which became law on 14th April 2014. But the exact date as to when all the new rules will be applied is not yet known, so there will be an introductory period where no penalties will be applied.
So far the rules, as far as they are known at the moment, appear to greatly simplify the paperwork for EU boats coming into Greek waters and are mainly based around the DEKPA (the Greek acronym for a cruising bulletin). But insurance certificates must be carried and must cover certain limits (see below).
New tax
The new Greek tax (referred to as TPP) charges up to €400 for craft less than twelve metres and then €100 per metre thereafter for a full year, with discounts for boats that aren't in Greek waters all year round. That tax will be able to be paid at port police offices, online and through tax offices and agents, using cash or credit or debit cards.
Implications for boat insurance policies
Among the new rules are raised limits for (compulsory) boat insurance. They are currently understood to be as follows:
- fifty thousand (50,000) euros per passenger and at least five hundred thousand (500,000) euros per event covering civil liability for bodily harm or death of passengers and/or third parties due to collision, accident, sinking or any other cause.
- One hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) euros covering civil liability for material damage to passengers and/or third parties as a result of collision, accident, sinking or any other cause.
- One hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) euros for events leading to sea pollution.
Although the third party damage limit is unchanged, the limits for injury or death and sea pollution are greatly increased. Boat insurance policyholders are therefore advised to contact their insurers to see that their policy is suitable and upgrade it if not.
Compare Boat Insurance customers will almost certainly have to enquire by phone or email for an upgrade as policies for boats in foreign waters are rarely available online. But we will do everything in our power to make this process as quick and painless as possible.
Please be aware that you will also need to arrange for your insurance certificate to be translated into the Greek language.
Find out more
There's much more to the new regulations, for example fishing licenses have been abolished and you now only have to visit the Port Police if there's an accident or injury, as long as the TPP tax has been paid.
To find out more and keep up to date with what's happening the full details are available on this page at the Cruising Association's website http://cruising.org.uk/news/greektax - which they will update as and when more information becomes available.
The CA has provided much of the information for this article, for which we are grateful.
