Commentary
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Part One: Rules common to all types of insurance
- Chapter 1: Introductory provisions
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Chapter 2: General rules relating to the scope of the insurance
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Section 1: Insurable interest and insurable value
- General
- Clause 2-1. Insurance unrelated to any interest
- Clause 2-2. Insurable value
- Clause 2-3. Agreed insurable value
- Clause 2-4. Under-insurance
- Clause 2-5. Over-insurance
- Clause 2-6. Liability of the insurer when the interest is also insured with another insurer
- Clause 2-7. Recourse between the insurers where the interest is insured with two or more insurers
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Section 2: Perils insured against, causation and loss
- General
- Clause 2-8. Perils covered by an insurance against marine perils
- Clause 2-9. Perils covered by an insurance against war perils
- Clause 2-10. Perils insured against when no agreement has been made as to what perils are covered by the insurance
- Clause 2-11. Causation. Incidence of loss
- Clause 2-12. Main rule relating to the burden of proof
- Clause 2-13. Combination of perils
- Clause 2-14. Combination of marine and war perils
- Clause 2-15. Losses deemed to be caused entirely by war perils
- Clause 2-16. Loss attributable either to marine or war perils
- Clause 2-17. Sanction limitation and exclusion
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Section 1: Insurable interest and insurable value
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Chapter 3: Duties of the person effecting the insurance and of the assured
- General remarks
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Section 1: Duty of disclosure of the person effecting the insurance
- Clause 3-1. Scope of the duty of disclosure
- Clause 3-2. Fraudulent misrepresentation
- Clause 3-3. Other failure to fulfil the duty of disclosure
- Clause 3-4. Innocent breach of the duty of disclosure
- Clause 3-5. Cases where the insurer may not invoke breach of the duty of disclosure
- Clause 3-6. Duty of the insurer to give notice
- Clause 3-7. Right of the insurer to obtain particulars from the vessel's classification society, etc.
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Section 2: Alteration of the risk
- Clause 3-8. Alteration of the risk
- Clause 3-9. Alteration of the risk caused or agreed to by the assured
- Clause 3-10. Right of the insurer to cancel the insurance
- Clause 3-11. Duty of the assured to give notice
- Clause 3-12. Cases where the insurer may not invoke alteration of the risk
- Clause 3-13. Duty of the insurer to give notice
- Clause 3-14. Loss of the main class
- Clause 3-15. Trading areas
- Clause 3-16. Illegal undertakings
- Clause 3-17. Suspension of insurance in the event of requisition
- Clause 3-18. Notification of requisition
- Clause 3-19. Suspension of insurance while the vessel is temporarily seized
- Clause 3-20. Removal of the vessel to a repair yard
- Clause 3-21. Change of ownership
- Section 3: Safety regulations
- Section 4: Measures to avert or minimise loss, etc.
- Section 5: Casualties caused intentionally or negligently by the assured
- Section 6. Identification
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Chapter 4: Liability of the insurer
- General
- Section 1: General rules relating to the liability of the insurer
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Section 2: Costs of measures to avert or minimise the loss, including salvage awards and general average
- General
- Clause 4-7. Compensation of the costs of measures to avert or minimise loss
- Clause 4-8. General average
- Clause 4-9. General average apportionment where the interests belong to the same person
- Clause 4-10. Damage to and loss of the object insured
- Clause 4-11. Assumed general average
- Clause 4-12. Costs of particular measures taken to avert or minimise loss
- Section 3: Liability of the assured to third parties
- Section 4: The sum insured as the limit of the liability of the insurer
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Chapter 5: Settlement of claims
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Section 1: Claims adjustment, interest, payments on account, etc.
- Clause 5-1. Duty of the assured to provide information and documents
- Clause 5-2. Claims adjustment
- Clause 5-3. Rates of exchange
- Clause 5-4. Interest on the compensation
- Clause 5-5. Disputes concerning the adjustment of the claim
- Clause 5-6. Due date
- Clause 5-7. Duty of the insurer to make a payment on account
- Clause 5-8. Payment on account when there is a dispute as to which insurer is liable for the loss
- Section 2: Liability of the assured to third parties
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Section 3: Claims by the assured for damages against third parties
- Clause 5-13. Right of subrogation of the insurer to claims by the assured for damages against third parties
- Clause 5-14. Waiver of claim for damages
- Clause 5-15. Duty of the assured to assist the insurer with information and documents
- Clause 5-16. Duty of the assured to maintain and safeguard the claim
- Clause 5-17. Decisions concerning legal proceedings or appeals
- Clause 5-18. Salvage award which entails compensation for loss covered by the insurer
- Section 4: Right of the insurer to take over the object insured upon payment of a claim
- Section 5: Limitation, etc.
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Section 1: Claims adjustment, interest, payments on account, etc.
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Chapter 6: Premium
- General
- Clause 6-1. Payment of premium
- Clause 6-2. Right of the insurer to cancel the insurance in the event of non-payment of premium
- Clause 6-3. Premium in the event of total loss
- Clause 6-4. Additional premium when the insurance is extended
- Clause 6-5. Reduction of premium
- Clause 6-6. Reduction of premium when the vessel is laid up or in similar situations
- Clause 6-7. Claim for a reduction of premium
- Chapter 7: Co-insurance of mortgagees
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Chapter 8: Co-insurance of third parties
- General
- Clause 8-1. Rights of third parties against the insurer
- Clause 8-2. Protection of third parties against subrogation claims from the insurer
- Clause 8-3. Application of the rules in Chapter 3 and Clause 5-1
- Clause 8-4. Amendments and cancellation of the insurance contract
- Clause 8-5. Handling of claims, claims adjustment, etc.
- Clause 8-6. Other insurance
- Clause 8-7. Independent co-insurance of mortgagees or named third parties
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Chapter 9: Relations between the claims leader and co-insurers
- General
- Clause 9-1. Definitions
- Clause 9-2. The right of the claims leader to act on behalf of the co-insurers
- Clause 9-3. Lay-up plan
- Clause 9-4. Notification of a casualty
- Clause 9-5. Salvage
- Clause 9-6. Removal and repairs
- Clause 9-7. Provision of security
- Clause 9-8. Disputes with third parties
- Clause 9-9. Claims adjustment
- Clause 9-10. Insolvency of a co-insurer
- Clause 9-11. Interest on the disbursements of the claims leader
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Part Two: Hull insurance
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Chapter 10: General rules relating to the scope of the hull insurance
- Clause 10-1. Objects insured
- Clause 10-2. Objects, etc. temporarily removed from the vessel
- Clause 10-3. Loss due to ordinary use
- Clause 10-4. Insurance "on full conditions"
- Clause 10-5. Insurance “against total loss only” (T.L.O.)
- Clause 10-6. Insurance “against total loss and general average contribution only”
- Clause 10-7. Insurance “against total loss, general average contribution and collision liability only”
- Clause 10-8. Insurance "on stranding terms"
- Clause 10-9. Duration of voyage insurance
- Clause 10-10. Extension of the insurance
- Clause 10-11. Liability of the insurer if the vessel is salvaged by the assured
- Clause 10-12. Reduction of liability in consequence of an interest insurance
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Chapter 11: Total loss
- Clause 11-1. Total loss
- Clause 11-2. Salvage attempts
- Clause 11-3. Condemnation
- Clause 11-4. Condemnation in the event of a combination of perils
- Clause 11-5. Request for condemnation
- Clause 11-6. Removal of the vessel
- Clause 11-7. Missing or abandoned vessel
- Clause 11-8. Extension of the insurance when the vessel is missing or abandoned
- Clause 11-9. Liability of the insurer during the period of clarification
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Chapter 12: Damage
- General
- Clause 12-1. Main rule concerning liability of the insurer
- Clause 12-2. Compensation for unrepaired damage
- Clause 12-3. Inadequate maintenance, etc.
- Clause 12-4. Error in design, etc.
- Clause 12-5. Losses that are not recoverable
- Clause 12-6. Deferred repairs
- Clause 12-7. Temporary repairs
- Clause 12-8. Costs incurred in expediting repairs
- Clause 12-9. Repairs of a vessel that is condemnable
- Clause 12-10. Survey of damage
- Clause 12-11. Invitations to tender
- Clause 12-12. Choice of repair yard
- Clause 12-13. Removal of the vessel
- Clause 12-14. Apportionment of common expenses
- Clause 12-15. Ice damage deductions
- Clause 12-16. Machinery damage deductions
- Clause 12-17. Compensation without deductions
- Clause 12-18. Deductible
- Clause 12-19. Basis for calculation of deductions according to Clauses 12-15 to 12-18 and Clause 3-15
- Chapter 13: Liability of the assured arising from collision or striking
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Chapter 10: General rules relating to the scope of the hull insurance
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Part Three: Other insurances for ocean-going vessels
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Chapter 14: Separate insurances against total loss
- General
- Clause 14-1. Insurance against total loss and excess collision liability (hull interest insurance)
- Clause 14-2. Insurance against loss of long-term freight income (freight interest insurance)
- Clause 14-3. Common rules for separate insurances against total loss
- Clause 14-4. Limitations on the right to effect separate insurances against total loss
- Chapter 15: War risks insurance
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Chapter 16: Loss of hire insurance
- General
- Clause 16-1. Main rules regarding the liability of the insurer
- Clause 16-2. Total loss
- Clause 16-3. Main rule for calculating compensation
- Clause 16-4. Calculation of the loss of time
- Clause 16-5. The daily amount
- Clause 16-6. Agreed daily amount
- Clause 16-7. Deductible period
- Clause 16-8. Survey of damage
- Clause 16-9. Choice of repair yard
- Clause 16-10. Removal to the repair yard, etc.
- Clause 16-11. Extra costs incurred in order to avert or minimise loss
- Clause 16-12. Simultaneous repairs
- Clause 16-13. Loss of time after completion of repairs
- Clause 16-14. Repairs carried out after expiry of the insurance period
- Clause 16-15. Liability of the insurer when the vessel is transferred to a new owner
- Clause 16-16. Relationship to other insurances and general average
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Chapter 14: Separate insurances against total loss
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Part Four: Other insurances
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Chapter 17: Insurance for fishing vessels
- General
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Section 1: General provisions
- Clause 17-1. Scope of application
- Clause 17-2. Renewal of the insurance/Ref. Clause 1-5
- Clause 17-3. Trading areas for fishing vessels/Ref. Clause 3-15
- Clause 17-4. Classification and vessel inspection/Ref. Clause 3-14 and Clause 3-8
- Clause 17-5. Safety regulations/Ref. Clause 3-22 and Clause 3-25
- Clause 17-6. Savings to the assured
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Section 2: Hull insurance
- General
- Clause 17-7. The relationship to Chapters 10-13
- Clause 17-7A. Fixed equipment temporarily removed from the vessel
- Clause 17-8. Change of the open or agreed insurable value/Ref. Clause 2-2 and Clause 2-3
- Clause 17-9. Damage to lifeboats, fishing, whaling and sealing tackle and catch/Ref. Clause 4-7 to Clause 4-12 and Clause 4-16
- Clause 17-10. Hull and freight-interest insurance/Ref. Clause 10-12
- Clause 17-11. Condemnation/Ref. Clause 11-3
- Clause 17-12. Damage to the hull of vessels which are not built of steel/Ref. Clause 12-1
- Clause 17-13. Limited cover of damage to machinery
- Clause 17-14. Costs incurred in saving time/Ref. Clause 12-7, Clause 12-8, Clause 12-11 and Clause 12-12
- Clause 17-15. Deductions/Ref. Clause 12-15, Clause 12-16 and Clause 12-18
- Clause 17-16. Collision liability for fishing vessels/Ref. Clause 13-1
- Clause 17-17. Collision liability/Ref. Clause 13-1
- Section 3: Hull insurance - extended cover
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Section 4: Catch and equipment insurance - standard cover
- General
- Clause 17-19. Objects insured
- Clause 17-20. Insurable value
- Clause 17-21. Extraordinary handling costs
- Clause 17-22. Excluded perils/Ref. Clause 2-8
- Clause 17-23. Deck cargo
- Clause 17-24. Total loss
- Clause 17-25. Damage to or loss of catch
- Clause 17-26. Damage to other objects
- Clause 17-27. Survey of damage
- Clause 17-28. Deductible
- Section 5: Supplementary cover for nets and seines in the sea
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Section 6: Loss of hire insurance for fishing vessels
- General comments
- Clause 17-33. Relationship to Chapter 16
- Clause 17-34. Liability of the insurer/applies instead of Clause 16-1
- Clause 17-35. Total loss/applies instead of Clause 16-2
- Clause 17-36. Calculation of compensation for fishing vessels/Ref. Clause 16-3
- Clause 17-37. The daily amount for fishing vessels/applies instead of Clause 16-5
- Clause 17-38. Agreed daily amount for fishing vessels/applies instead of Clause 16-6
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Chapter 18: Insurance of mobile offshore units (MOUs)
- Overview
- Section 1: General rules relating to the scope of the insurance
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Section 2: Hull insurance
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Section 2-1: General rules relating to the scope of the H&M insurance
- Clause 18-2. Objects insured
- Clause 18-3. Objects temporarily removed or separated etc. from the MOU
- Clause 18-4. Loss due to ordinary use
- Clause 18-5. Extension of the insurance
- Clause 18-6. Liability of the insurer if the MOU is salvaged by the assured
- Clause 18-7. Reduction of liability in consequence of an interest insurance
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Section 2-2: Total loss
- Clause 18-8. Total loss
- Clause 18-9. Salvage attempts
- Clause 18-10. Condemnation
- Clause 18-11. Condemnation in the event of a combination of perils
- Clause 18-12. Request for condemnation
- Clause 18-13. Removal of the MOU
- Clause 18-14. Missing or abandoned MOU
- Clause 18-15. Extension of the insurance when the MOU is missing or abandoned
- Clause 18-16. Liability of the insurer during the period of clarification
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Section 2-3: Damage
- General
- Clause 18-17. Main rule concerning liability of the insurer
- Clause 18-18. Compensation for unrepaired damage
- Clause 18-19. Inadequate maintenance
- Clause 18-20. Error in design, etc.
- Clause 18-21. Losses that are not recoverable
- Clause 18-22. Damage to the drill string
- Clause 18-23. Deferred repairs
- Clause 18-24. Temporary repairs
- Clause 18-25. Costs incurred in expediting repairs
- Clause 18-26. Repairs of an MOU that is condemnable
- Clause 18-27. Survey of damage
- Clause 18-28. Invitations to tender
- Clause 18-29. Choice of repairers
- Clause 18-30. Removal for repairs
- Clause 18-31. Apportionment of common expenses
- Clause 18-32. Ice damage deductions
- Clause 18-33. Deductible
- Clause 18-34. Basis for calculation of deductions according to Clauses 18-32, 18-33 and 3-15
- Section 2-4: Liability of the assured arising from collision or striking
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Section 2-1: General rules relating to the scope of the H&M insurance
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Section 3: Separate insurances against total loss
- Clause 18-39. Insurance against total loss and excess collision liability (hull interest insurance)
- Clause 18-40. Insurance against loss of long-term freight income (freight interest insurance)
- Clause 18-41. Common rules for separate insurances against total loss
- Clause 18-42. Limitations on the right to insure separately against total loss
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Section 4: Loss of hire insurance
- Clause 18-43. Main rules regarding the liability of the insurer
- Clause 18-44. Total loss
- Clause 18-45. Main rule for calculating compensation
- Clause 18-46. Calculation of the loss of time
- Clause 18-47. The daily amount
- Clause 18-48. Agreed daily amount
- Clause 18-49. Deductible period
- Clause 18-50. Survey of damage
- Clause 18-51. Choice of repairer
- Clause 18-52. Move to the repair location, etc.
- Clause 18-53. Extra costs incurred in order to avert or minimise loss
- Clause 18-54. Simultaneous works
- Clause 18-55. Loss of time after completion of repairs
- Clause 18-56. Repairs carried out after expiry of the insurance period
- Clause 18-57. Liability of the insurer when the MOU is transferred to a new owner
- Clause 18-58. Relationship to other insurances and general average
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Section 5: War risks insurance
- Section 5-1: General rules relating to the scope of war risks insurance
- Section 5-2: Termination of the insurance
- Section 5-3: Areas of operation
- Section 5-4: Total loss
- Section 5-5: Damage
- Section 5-6: Loss of hire
- Section 5-7: Owner’s liability, etc. (P&I)
- Section 5-8: Occupational injury insurance, etc.
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Section 6: Construction risks insurance
- Section 6-1: General rules relating to the scope of construction risks insurance
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Section 6-2: Loss of or damage to the MOU
- Clause 18-87. Objects insured/Ref Clause 18-2
- Clause 18-88. Insurable value
- Clause 18-89. Compensation in the event of a total loss/Ref. Clause 4-1
- Clause 18-90. Total Loss/Ref. Section 2-2
- Clause 18-91. Damage/Ref. Section 2-3
- Clause 18-92. Error in design, etc.
- Clause 18-93. Costs incurred in order to save time/Ref. Clauses 18-24, 18-28 and 18-29
- Section 6-3: Supplementary covers
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Chapter 19: Builders’ risks insurance
- General
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Section 1: Common provisions
- Clause 19-1. Perils covered/Ref. Clause 2-8, cf. Clause 2-10
- Clause 19-2. Insurance period/Ref. Clause 1-5
- Clause 19-2A. Premium in the event of total loss
- Clause 19-3. Co-insurance/Ref. Clause 8-1
- Clause 19-4. Transfer of the building contract/Ref. Clause 3-21
- Clause 19-5. Place of insurance
- Clause 19-6. The sum insured as the limit of the liability of the insurer/Ref. Clause 4-18 and Clause 4-19
- Clause 19-7. Escalation of the sum insured
- Clause 19-8. Deductible
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Section 2: Loss of or damage to the subject-matter insured
- Clause 19-9. Objects insured/Ref. Clause 10-1
- Clause 19-10. Insurable value
- Clause 19-11. Total loss in the event of condemnation
- Clause 19-12. Total loss where the yard’s obligation to deliver no longer applies
- Clause 19-13. Compensation in the event of a total loss/Ref. Clause 4-1
- Clause 19-14. Damage/Ref. Chapter 12
- Clause 19-15. Limitation of the insurer’s liability/Ref. Clause 12-1
- Clause 19-16. Compensation for unrepaired damage/Ref. Clause 12-2
- Clause 19-17. Costs incurred in order to save time/Ref. Clause 12-7, Clause 12-11 and Clause 12-12
- Section 3: Indemnification of additional costs incurred in an unsuccessful launching and costs of wreck removal
- Section 4: Liability insurance
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Section 5: Supplementary covers
- Clause 19-22. Applicable rules
- Clause 19-23. Insurance of additional costs in connection with rebuilding and/or building of a new subject-matter insured
- Clause 19-24. Insurance of the yard’s liability for the buyer’s interest claim for instalments paid
- Clause 19-25. Insurance of the yard’s loss of interest in the event of late delivery
- Clause 19-26. Insurance of the yard’s daily penalties in the event of late delivery
- Clause 19-27. Towage and removal of the subject-matter insured
- Section 6: Supplementary cover for war risks
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Chapter 20: Insurance for vessels with trading certificates
- General
- Section 1: Common provisions
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Section 2: Hull insurance
- General
- Clause 20-6. The relationship to Chapters 10-13
- Clause 20-7. Hull and freight-interest insurance/Ref. Clause 10-12
- Clause 20-8. Condemnation/Ref. Clause 11-3
- Clause 20-9. Damage to the hull of vessels which are not built of steel/Ref. Clause 12-1
- Clause 20-10. Limited cover of damage to machinery
- Clause 20-11. Costs incurred in saving time/Ref. Clause 12-7, Clause 12-8, Clause 12-11 and Clause 12-12
- Clause 20-12. Deductions/Ref. Clause 12-15, Clause 12-16 and Clause 12-18
- Clause 20-13. Collision liability/Ref. Clause 13-1
- Section 3: Hull insurance - extended cover
- Section 4: Hull insurance - limited cover
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Chapter 21: Liability insurance
- Clause 21-1. Scope of application
- Clause 21-2. Renewal of the insurance/Ref. Clause 1-5
- Clause 21-3. Classification and vessel inspection/Ref. Clause 3-14 and Clause 3-8
- Clause 21-4. Savings to the assured
- Clause 21-5. Perils covered
- Clause 21-6. Liability for personal injury
- Clause 21-7. Liability for property damage
- Clause 21-8. Liability for description
- Clause 21-9. Liability for the misdelivery of goods
- Clause 21-10. General average contributions
- Clause 21-11. Liability for removal of wrecks
- Clause 21-12. Liability for special salvage compensation
- Clause 21-13. Liability for bunker oil pollution damage and damage to the environment
- Clause 21-14. Stowaways
- Clause 21-15. Liability for fines, etc.
- Clause 21-16. Liability for social benefits for the crew
- Clause 21-17. Travel expenses for replacement crew
- Clause 21-18. Expenses for disinfection and quarantine
- Clause 21-19. Limitation due to other insurance, etc.
- Clause 21-20. Safety regulations/Ref. Clause 3-22 and Clause 3-25
- Clause 21-21. Assured's fault
- Clause 21-22. The insurer's rights in the event of liability
- Clause 21-23. Liability for loss that occurred during other transport, etc.
- Clause 21-24. Limitation of liability for fishing vessels
- Clause 21-25. Limitation of the insurer's liability for measures to avert or minimise loss
- Clause 21-26. The sum insured as a limit to the insurer's liability
- Clause 21-27. Deductible
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Chapter 17: Insurance for fishing vessels
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Chapter 11: Total loss
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Clause 11-1. Total loss
View Clause Go to Plan pageThis Clause is identical to Cl. 161 of the 1964 Plan. The Commentary was amended in the 2007 version in connection with the amendment to Cl. 12-2.
Sub-clause 1 states when the assured may claim compensation for a total loss. The provision covers both actual loss and so-called “unrepairability”. There will be a gradual transition from an absolute loss (the vessel has foundered in such deep waters that it cannot be reached) to cases where it is a question of economic assessment whether or not to undertake salvage and repair work. Such assessment will depend on the extent to which the probable salvage and repair costs will exceed the agreed insurable hull value. If the agreed insurable hull value is high, it is conceivable under special market conditions that it will pay for the insurer to build a new vessel around the remains of the old one. However, under sub-clause 1, the strictly economic evaluation of the repair question shall also be supplemented by a technical assessment. That the vessel “cannot be repaired” implies that it must be considered destroyed as a vessel, making repairs seem meaningless from a technical point of view. “Repairs” in this connection mean repairs which meet the conditions under Cl. 12-1, i.e. repairs which will restore the vessel to the state it was in prior to the damage, and a state which is expected to last. The question whether it is technically possible to repair the vessel is an ordinary question of evidence, which will ultimately have to be submitted to the courts.
Sub-clause 2 establishes that no deductions shall be made in the total-loss compensation for unrepaired damage sustained by the vessel in connection with an earlier casualty. If a total loss has occurred, the assured may under Cl. 4-1 demand payment of the sum insured, however not in excess of the insurable value. Where this has been defined as “the full value of the interest at the inception of the insurance”, cf. Cl. 2-2, it will not be affected by the damage which the vessel sustains during the insurance period, and the assured will consequently be entitled to the full agreed insurable hull value, regardless of any unrepaired damage which the vessel may have sustained in connection with earlier casualties. However, the assured may not in addition claim separate compensation for such damage; this would give him an unjustified gain at the insurer’s expense. This has now been explicitly laid down in Cl. 12-2, sub-clause 3, in connection with the generalisation of the right to compensation. According to the traditional principle that “a total loss absorbs partial damage”, an insurer who has paid compensation for the total loss will not have recourse against the insurer who would have been liable for the repair costs if the repairs had been carried out, cf. sub-clause 2 hereof, and Cl. 12-1, sub-clause 2, which state that the insurer’s liability for repair costs will normally not arise until the repairs have been carried out.
The principle that “a total loss absorbs partial damage” may appear to confer an unanticipated advantage on the former insurer who was liable for the unrepaired damage, or possibly on the assured if the damage was not covered by insurance. However, in the relationship between the insurers it will, in principle, even out in the long term. There are also strong practical considerations in favour of this system: it will often be difficult to establish the exact extent of damage after the vessel is lost. A rule to the effect that unrepaired damage should be referred back to an earlier insurer might therefore easily give rise to a dispute between the insurers.
If the assured has claims for damages against third parties in connection with the unrepaired damage, they accrue to the insurer who pays the total loss claim.
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Clause 11-2. Salvage attempts
View Clause Go to Plan pageThe Clause constitutes a necessary supplement to the preceding clause and regulates the situation where the vessel is lost under such circumstances that it is uncertain whether it can be salvaged. The time-limit within which the salvage operation must be carried out is basically six months, cf. sub-clause 2, first sentence. The time-limit is extended to a maximum of 12 months if the salvage operation is delayed due to difficult ice conditions, cf. second sentence.
Clause 11-2. Salvage attempts
The insurer is entitled to attempt to salvage the vessel at its own expense and risk. The assured shall in that event do its utmost to enable the insurer to carry out the salvage operation. If the salvage operation has not been completed within six months from the date the insurer was notified ...
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Clause 11-3. Condemnation
View Clause Go to Plan pageThe Commentary was adjusted in the 2010 version. In the 2007 version the Commentary was adjusted in accordance with the amendments to Cl. 3-22 and Cl. 12-2.
Sub-clause 1 sets out the principle that the total-loss cover also extends to condemnation of the vessel. The rest of the provision contains the main rules on the material terms for condemnation.
According to sub-clause 2, first sentence, the conditions for condemnation shall be deemed met and the assured entitled to claim for a total loss if the cost of repairing the vessel will amount to at least 80% of the insurable value. If the vessel is undervalued so that its real value in repaired condition is higher than the agreed insurable value, the de facto value shall be used as the basis. Using the higher of the two values, means that it will not be easier for the assured to obtain a condemnation by using a particularly low agreed insurable value, and that the assured may not obtain condemnation above a low market value and subsequently be paid the higher agreed insurable value.
In accordance with the 1964 Plan, the wreck value shall not be brought into the condemnation formula, even though it might be said that this may lead to results which do not make good economic sense, cf. Brækhus/Rein: Håndbok i kaskoforsikring (Handbook of Hull Insurance), p. 434. However, an amendment on this point would entail that Norwegian condemnation conditions differed from international marine insurance practice.
The rules in sub-clause 2, second sentence, regulate the not very frequent situation where several hull insurances have been taken out against the same peril with different agreed insurable values, e.g. by the shipowner after an upturn in the economy increasing the agreed insurable value of the vessel and taking out an additional insurance for the difference between the old and the new agreed insurable values. In that event, the higher of the two values shall be used as the basis. The situation where there are different agreed insurable values in connection with the insurances against marine perils and war perils respectively is regulated in Cl. 11-4, sub-clause 2.
When a vessel is declared a constructive total loss, not only the hull insurance but also the hull-interest insurances fall due for payment. These interest insurances are in effect hull insurances against total loss which are effected in addition to the regular hull insurance. Only the agreed insurable hull value, not the sum of that value and the agreed insurable values for the hull-interest insurance and/or the freight-interest insurance, is to be taken into account when making a decision on the question of condemnation, when the agreed insurable hull value is to be used in the condemnation formula because that value is higher than the market value.
According to sub-clause 3, it is the time when the assured makes his request for a condemnation that is decisive for the determination of the value if the alternative “value of the vessel in repaired condition” is used. However, the determination of value must be based on an “objective” market value of the relevant type of vessel. Consequently the question whether the casualty may have resulted in a special reduction in value of the vessel concerned in the form of “bad reputation”, or the like, shall not be taken into consideration.
Sub-clause 4 gives a further definition of “casualty damage” and “costs of repairs”. As regards what casualty damage shall be included in the condemnation formula, the question is whether the evaluation shall only take into account the damage which was caused by the latest casualty, or whether earlier unrepaired casualty damage to the vessel should also be taken into account. By taking into consideration all casualty damage, the decision would be based on a realistic assessment of the possibility of restoring the vessel to a seaworthy condition on a sound economic basis, and the assured and his insurers would not be forced to make unprofitable investments in a vessel which should in reality have been declared a constructive total loss. At the same time, it did not seem like a good idea to take into consideration all old dents, etc., which the vessel had sustained through a long life. Consequently, as under the 1964 Plan, a three-year time-limit has been set, so that casualty damage which has not been reported to the relevant insurer and been surveyed by him in the course of the three years preceding the casualty which caused the condemnation request shall not be taken into consideration. The three-year time-limit shall be calculated from the time of the actual casualty. The requirement that the damage must be surveyed does not apply to a situation where the owner has made a survey possible, but where the insurer chooses not to undertake such survey.
In exceptional cases, it is conceivable that compensation has been paid for unrepaired damage. However, the fact that a former owner has received compensation for such damage pursuant to Cl. 12-2, sub-clause 1, will not exclude the damage from being taken into account when the question of condemnation is being decided. If, on the other hand, the assured has received such compensation earlier, no importance can be attached to the damage when deciding the question of whether the vessel qualifies for condemnation.
The term “casualty damage” also includes damage which is not recoverable under the insurance because it does not exceed the deductible or because of other forms of self-insurance. However, only damage which according to its nature is covered by the insurance shall be taken into account, and not damage consisting of rust or corrosion. The assured shall not be able to obtain a constructive total loss by ignoring the upkeep of the vessel. However, if the damage is of such a nature as to make the insurer liable under Cl. 12-3 or Cl. 12-4, this will also have to be taken into consideration when determining the question of condemnation.
As will appear from Cl. 11-1, sub-clause 2, the principle that “total loss absorbs partial damage” entails that the insurer who pays a total-loss claim does not have recourse to the insurer or insurers who should have indemnified the unrepaired damage which the vessel had when it was lost. As under the 1964 Plan, this principle also applies in the event of a condemnation of a vessel, given that a different solution might have resulted in very complicated settlements. Consequently, the agreed insurable hull value shall be paid in its entirety by the insurer who is liable for the casualty giving rise to the condemnation without any deductions for earlier, unrepaired damage.
The condemnation is based on a discretionary assessment of the future expenses that will be incurred in connection with complete repairs of the vessel. The basis of the assessment is the vessel in the state and at the place where it is at the moment when the assured makes his request for a condemnation. Thus, costs that have already been invested, e.g. in connection with temporary repairs, shall not be taken into consideration, in contrast to all foreseeable future costs. Salvage awards shall not be taken into account, however, cf. below.
Costs of “removal and repairs” comprise, in the first place, all costs for which the insurer would be liable if repairs were carried out. Furthermore, account must be taken of expenses the assured must cover himself in connection with the repairs, e.g. in the form of deductions or deductibles, or because the damage in question is specifically excluded from cover, e.g. in accordance with Cl. 12-5 (b) and (d)-(f). However, costs that do not refer directly to removals, repairs and similar measures, shall not be taken into account. Thus, the assured’s general operating costs concerning the vessel during the period of repairs, or expenses in connection with bringing passengers ashore shall not be considered. The calculation of the probable costs shall be based on the prices at the time when the request for a condemnation was made.
The fact that removal costs are included in the calculation means that the decision of the question of condemnation is founded on a more realistic basis than if the damage to the vessel were the sole decisive factor, regardless of where the vessel was. As regards the question of condemnation, there will, realistically speaking, be a material difference between a damaged vessel that is in a port, e.g. Svalbard, and a vessel with similar damage in a port with good possibilities of repairs.
If this line of thought were to be followed through, the salvage award that would foreseeably accrue before the vessel could be moved to a repair yard would also have to be taken into account. However, it will always be very difficult to estimate the salvage award in advance, and this would introduce a serious element of uncertainty in the condemnation formula. In addition, it is difficult to get the damage surveyed properly as long as the vessel has not been salvaged. Thus, under the Plan, a salvage award that will accrue before a removal and repairs shall not be taken into consideration. The distinction between “salvage award” and such expenses as shall be included, especially removal costs, must be based on general maritime law criteria. The decisive factor must be the situation which the vessel was in when the salvor was given the assignment, and not whether the remuneration agreed to on a “no cure - no pay basis” was determined in advance or shall be paid according to accounts rendered.
Even if the salvage award is not included in the condemnation formula, the insurer must in practice also take the salvage award into consideration if the assured claims for a total loss (or a condemnation, as the case may be) before the vessel has been salvaged. If the insurer wants to salvage the vessel in such a situation, he must proceed according to Cl. 11-2. The significance of the condemnation request being made while the vessel is still at the place of stranding, lies in the fact that this is the point in time that will be decisive for the assessment of the costs and the market value of the vessel.
According to Cl. 12-1, sub-clause 4, the insurer has the right, subject to certain conditions, to refuse to cover in full the costs of repairs that restore a vessel to its former condition. In that case, he must pay special compensation for the depreciation in value caused by the fact that the vessel will not be fully repaired. However, according to sub-clause 4, last sentence, the decision of the condemnation question shall not take into account the compensation for the depreciation in value which the insurer would have had to pay if he had been entitled to invoke Cl. 12-3, sub-clause 4. This rule is necessary to avoid a situation where a compensation for, e.g. damaged works of art or decorations based on a discretionary assessment would constitute the decisive amount that brings the costs of repairs above the condemnation limit. Nor would it be very reasonable if damage which does not affect the vessel’s ability to comply with technical and operational safety requirements and therefore does not need to be repaired in the first place were to be taken into account in the decision whether the vessel, on a realistic basis and from an economic point of view, is “worth repairing”.
The question whether the conditions for condemnation are met is a question of fact that must be decided according to ordinary rules of evidence. The Plan does not authorise any specific procedure for deciding this question. If it is not possible to solve the question by means of negotiations, it will have to be submitted to the courts, cf. also Cl. 5-5, sub-clause 3. Nor does the Plan provide any guidance in terms of special rules of procedure relating to the survey of damage or the invitation of tenders, as is the case in the event of repairs of damage, cf. Cl. 12-10 and Cl. 12-11. In ND 1992.172 Gulating Berglift it was held that these rules could not be applied by analogy when deciding the question of condemnation.
Clause 11-3. Condemnation
The assured may claim compensation for a total loss if the conditions for condemnation of the vessel are met. The conditions for condemnation are met when casualty damage is so extensive that the cost of repairing the vessel will amount to at least 80 % of the insurable value, or of the value of...
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Clause 11-4. Condemnation in the event of a combination of perils
View Clause Go to Plan pageThe provision regulates the position where the casualty which gives rise to the condemnation is partly due to perils not covered by the insurance, cf. Cl. 2-13, Cl. 2-14 and Cl. 2-16. The situation may be that the assured has breached safety regulations or has sent the vessel out to sea in an unseaworthy condition, and that the insurer is therefore only partly liable for the casualty, or that the casualty is attributable to a combination of marine and war perils under such circumstances that the rule of equal distribution contained in Cl. 2-14, second sentence, or Cl. 2-16, shall apply. In such cases, the insurer is only liable for a proportionate share of the total-loss claim. If liability is to be divided between the insurer against war perils and the insurer against marine perils, each of them shall pay half of the agreed value under the insurance in question.
In practice, the insurance against war perils is often effected with a higher agreed value than the ordinary hull insurance. With a view to the combination-of-perils cases, sub-clause 2 provides that the valuation applicable to the insurance against marine perils shall be used as the basis when deciding the question of condemnation.
Clause 11-4. Condemnation in the event of a combination of perils
If the casualty which gives rise to the condemnation is also caused by perils not covered by the insurance, the compensation shall be reduced correspondingly, cf. Cl. 2-13, Cl. 2-14 and Cl. 2-16. If the casualty is caused by such combination of marine and war perils as referred to in Cl. 2-14,...
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Clause 11-5. Request for condemnation
View Clause Go to Plan pageSub-clause 1 regulates the conditions for the request for condemnation. The provision must be interpreted antithetically: It is only the assured who can request condemnation. Hence, the insurer may not take advantage of an upward turn in the market to speculate by paying out the sum insured and taking over a damaged vessel for the purpose of repairs and sale.
On the other hand, the insurer must be protected against the assured demanding that the vessel be repaired, despite the fact that it is in reality fit for condemnation. Under Cl. 12-9, the insurer’s liability for repair costs in such a situation is limited to the amount he would have had to pay if the vessel had been declared a constructive total loss, in other words, the sum insured less the value of the wreck.
If the assured wants a condemnation, the assured must make a request without undue delay after the vessel has been salvaged and the assured has had an opportunity to inspect the damage, cf. first sentence. The assured cannot keep the question open and see how the market develops. If the assured does not make a decision, the assured will only be entitled to indemnity under the rules relating to damage, cf. inter alia the insurer’s right to limit its liability for the costs of repairs under Cl. 12-9. However, this does not apply if the vessel is in actual fact so severely damaged that it must be regarded as a total loss, cf. the comments on Cl. 11-1, sub-clause 1. In that event, the assured’s right to claim for a total loss is not subject to any time-limit (apart from the standard limitation rules and rules on duty of notification).
On the other hand, the request for condemnation is not an irrevocable offer to the insurer which he may invoke. Thus, according to sub-clause 1, second sentence, the request may be withdrawn as long as it has not been accepted by the insurer. However, if a final agreement for a condemnation has been concluded, it will be binding on both parties.
Until the vessel has been salvaged and the assured has had an opportunity to inspect the damage, it will often be uncertain whether a condemnation will be requested. It would be most unfortunate if the assured during this period of time were to take a passive approach to the salvage operation out of fear that an active approach would be interpreted as a waiver of his right to demand a condemnation. sub-clause 2 therefore establishes that salvage or failure to salvage the vessel by one of the parties shall not be regarded as an approval or a waiver of the right to condemnation.
Clause 11-5. Request for condemnation
If the assured wishes the vessel to be condemned, it must submit a request to the insurer without undue delay after the vessel has been salvaged and it has had an opportunity to survey the damage. This request may be withdrawn as long as it has not been accepted by the insurer. Whether the assure...
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Clause 11-6. Removal of the vessel
View Clause Go to Plan pageWhen the assured makes a request for condemnation, it is important that the insurer be given the opportunity to have the vessel inspected in a proper manner, e.g. in dock. The insurer therefore has an unconditional right to demand that the vessel be moved to wherever he wants in order to have a proper survey conducted, cf. sub-clause 1, first sentence. According to the second sentence, this demand must be made without undue delay; the insurer should not be able to procrastinate later on, during the negotiations with the assured, by demanding a removal for a further survey. Consequently, the insurer must inspect the vessel as soon as it has been salvaged and decide what type of survey he wants carried out.
A removal results in costs and may also entail a risk of loss. Such liability shall be borne by the insurer who demands the removal, cf. sub-clause 2. A removal for the purpose of a survey is undertaken as a defensive move by an insurer who has been presented with a claim for a total loss. If the vessel is condemned, despite the new survey, the insurer will bear the risk of all losses that may arise after the casualty, cf. Cl. 11-9 and the Commentary on that provision. Under Cl. 43 of the 1964 Plan, an insurer who did not wish to bear the risk of removal could limit his liability for losses incurred during such removal. This provision has been deleted, and the claims leader has now been authorised to decide the question of removal, cf. Cl. 9-6. The co-insurers are therefore jointly liable for damage that arises during a removal decided by the claims leader. The claims leader's decision to remove a vessel will also be binding on the interest insurers, cf. Cl. 14-3, sub-clause 4. If the other insurers wish to limit their liability for such damage, they may have to exercise the right in Cl. 4-21 to avoid further liability by paying the sum insured. If this is done, the insurer who causes the removal shall not only bear the costs, but also the risk of any loss that arises during or as a result of the removal, and which is not covered by other insurers, cf. sub-clause 2. The insurer who demands a removal of the vessel will thus bear the risk of losses which should otherwise have been covered by other insurers (e.g. war damage or liability for damages to third parties). In relation to the assured, he also bears the risk of losses which would normally have been uninsured. In practice this will mean that the insurer must take out the necessary supplementary insurances during the removal. If the risk is of such a nature that it is uninsurable, this is in itself an indication that the removal should not be carried out.
The costs incurred during the removal and the survey are incurred after the request for a condemnation is made and must be taken into account when deciding the condemnation question, cf. Cl. 11-3, sub-clause 4. However, any liability to third parties that may arise during the removal shall not be taken into consideration. If the vessel is damaged, such damage shall be taken into account if the assured submits a new formal request for condemnation after the damage has occurred. It will then be the repair prices at that time which will be decisive for the assessment of the vessel’s total damage, cf. Cl. 11-3, sub-clause 4, second sentence.
Clause 11-6. Removal of the vessel
If the assured has requested a condemnation of the vessel , the insurer may demand its removal to a place where the damage may be properly surveyed. The demand must be made without undue delay after the vessel has been salvaged. The insurer shall bear the costs of the removal and liability for an...
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Clause 11-7. Missing or abandoned vessel
View Clause Go to Plan pageThe 1964 Plan contained rules on missing or abandoned vessels in Cl. 168, on seizure, requisition and piracy in Cl. 169 and joint rules for the two groups of cases in Cl. 170. In the new Plan, rules on seizure, etc. have been moved to the Chapter on war-risk insurance, cf. Cl. 15-11. Cl. 168 and Cl. 170 of the 1964 Plan have been combined into the present Clause.
According to sub-clause 1, the assured may claim for a total loss if the vessel is reported missing and three months have elapsed from the date on which the vessel was, at the latest, expected to arrive at a port. If there is reason to believe that the vessel may be icebound, the time-limit is 12 months. According to sub-clause 2, the same applies if the vessel has been abandoned by the crew at sea, but the point of departure for the time-limit is slightly different. In view of current means of communication at sea, the provisions will be of little practical significance, given that the assured will, as a rule, have the right to demand payment of the total-loss claim at an earlier point in time under sub-clause 3. It is nevertheless considered expedient to retain sub-clauses 1 and 2 as a point of departure.
The rule in sub-clause 3 corresponds to Cl. 170, sub-clause 1, of the 1964 Plan and may be of considerable practical significance, e.g. if the vessel is reported missing and survivors or wreckage from the vessel are found before expiry of the time-limit.
If the vessel or the wreck causes striking damage during the period before a total-loss claim has been paid according to Cl. 11-7, the hull insurer must be liable under Chapter 13 in the ordinary manner, provided that the damage is a result of a peril that struck during the insurance period, cf. ND 1990.8 S. dispasch vinca gorthon. If the wreck causes damage after the total-loss claim has been paid, however, the hull insurer must be exempt from liability, unless he has taken over the right to the wreck according to Cl. 5-19.
Under sub-clauses 1 and 2, the vessel must be “reported missing” or “abandoned … without its subsequent fate being known” at the time when the request for a total-loss claim is presented. If the vessel has been recovered or released, the assured obviously may not submit a claim for total-loss compensation. However, sub-clause 4, which is taken from Cl. 170, sub-clause 2, of the 1964 Plan, regulates the situation where the conditions for a total-loss claim are met when the claim is presented, but where the vessel is subsequently recovered or released before the compensation has been paid. In that event, the insurer cannot deny the request on the grounds that the vessel has been recovered or released. The reason the assured submits the request will often be that the assured is making other arrangements in order to acquire a new vessel. The assured should therefore, in the light of the request, have acquired an irrevocable right to total-loss compensation.
If it is an established fact that the assured will not get the vessel back before expiry of the time-limits under sub-clauses 1 and 2, the limitation period in Cl. 5-24 will take effect from 1 January of the year after the fact has become clear and the conditions for the payment of total-loss compensation under sub-clauses 3 and 4 have been met.
Clause 11-7. Missing or abandoned vessel
If the vessel is reported missing, the assured may claim for a total loss when three months have elapsed from the date on which the vessel was, at the latest, expected to arrive at a port. If the vessel is reported missing under circumstances that give reason to assume that it is icebound and wil...
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Clause 11-8. Extension of the insurance when the vessel is missing or abandoned
View Clause Go to Plan pageSub-clause 1 states that the insurance will be extended if the vessel, on expiry of the insurance period, is missing or abandoned and is subsequently recovered without the assured being entitled to claim for a total loss. The provision is based on practical considerations: if, for the expiring insurance year, the insurer was not made liable for the damage which the vessel turns out to have when it is again recovered, it would be necessary to establish the exact time when this damage occurred, which may be difficult or impossible. Furthermore, the assured will rarely have taken out any new insurances in such a case. The insurance is extended according to rules similar to those that apply when the vessel has sustained serious damage, cf. Cl. 10-10, and the extension applies to all the vessel’s insurances under the Plan.
The wording “upon expiry of the insurance period” must be interpreted here as meaning expiry of the agreed insurance period regardless of whether an insurance period of one year or more than one year has been agreed upon, compare Cl. 1-5, sub-clause 4, which explicitly mentions the provisions under which a multi-year insurance contract shall be divided up into one-year periods. The present provision is not included.
When a time-limit under Cl. 11-7 has expired, the assured obtains a right, but not an obligation, to claim for a total loss. Under the Plan he may keep the question open until he recovers the vessel or it is later established that the vessel is definitively lost. Under Cl. 6-4, sub-clause 2, he shall not pay premium for the period of time from expiry of the agreed insurance period until he regains control of the vessel. Sub-clause 2, however, establishes that the old insurance shall not be extended beyond two years from expiry of the insurance period. If the assured recovers the vessel at a later point in time, he will not be entitled to claim compensation for damage to it without proving that it occurred less than two years after expiry of the original insurance. Moreover, he must take out a new insurance in order to be covered while the vessel is brought into port and the damage repaired.
Clause 11-8. Extension of the insurance when the vessel is missing or abandoned
If, upon expiry of the insurance period, a situation exists as referred to in Cl. 11-7, and the vessel is subsequently recovered without the assured being entitled to claim for a total loss, the insurance is extended until the vessel has dropped anchor or has been moored in the first port. If th...
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Clause 11-9. Liability of the insurer during the period of clarification
View Clause Go to Plan pageIf the vessel has sustained extensive damage as a result of a casualty and the assured claims for a total loss, there will be a period of uncertainty when it is not known whether or not the condemnation conditions under Cl. 11-3 are met. The same applies when the vessel is stranded and the insurer wishes to use the time-limit to which he is entitled under Cl. 11-2, sub-clause 2, to attempt to salvage it, or when it has been abandoned or reported missing but the time-limits under Cl. 11-7 have not yet expired. If the end result is that the vessel is not considered a total loss - its damage is not sufficiently extensive, or it is recovered before expiry of the stipulated time-limits or before the assured has lodged a claim for a total loss - no problems will arise. In that event, all insurances will have been continuously in effect throughout the period of uncertainty (see Cl. 11-8 regarding an extension of the insurance when the period of uncertainty extends beyond the agreed insurance period).
If, however, the end result is that a total-loss claim shall be paid, the insurer who is liable for the total loss shall take over the wreck in view of the payment of the claim, cf. Cl. 5-19. If there has been a further depreciation in the value of the wreck as a result of new events during the period of uncertainty, the risk shall be borne by the insurer concerned. Under Cl. 5-22, he is also barred from exercising any rights the assured might have under an insurance contract as regards such subsequent events. Thus, the insurer who is liable for the total loss will in actual fact bear the risk in respect of everything that happens to the wreck as from and including time of the casualty which gave rise to the total loss, whereas the other insurers, by contrast, will not bear any risk as of that same moment. This is explicitly set out in sub-clause 1. Under Cl. 6-3, sub-clause 2, the other insurers are also barred from claiming premiums for the period during which they did not bear any risk.
However, during the period of uncertainty there is a risk, not only of a further depreciation in the value of the vessel, but also of the assured incurring liability for damages, which is covered by the insurance. Such liability may, depending on its nature, fall outside the scope of cover of the insurer who is liable for the total loss. It is, for example, conceivable that the vessel has sustained extensive bombing damage that later proves to have made the vessel condemnable. During the manoeuvring of the wreck to or in a port, the master makes a clear nautical error, which imposes a collision liability on the assured. A liability of this nature must be covered by the insurer who is liable for the total loss, cf. sub-clause 2. He must be regarded as having assumed the risk for the wreck in every respect after the casualty which gave rise to the total loss. The rule can be justified by the fact that there will often be a certain connection between the damage to the vessel and the event entailing liability. In this way the difficult questions of causation which might otherwise arise are avoided.
The fact that the insurance period has expired when it is established that a total-loss claim may be lodged is irrelevant for the insurer’s cover of collision liability. However, it has been established that liability shall not remain in effect for more than two years from expiry of the original insurance period, cf. Cl. 11-8, sub-clause 2. After that point, the assured must arrange for liability cover himself. The insurer may not demand any additional premium for the period for which the liability insurance is extended under this Clause, cf. Cl. 6-4, sub-clause 1.
Clause 11-9. Liability of the insurer during the period of clarification
If the assured is entitled to claim for a total loss in accordance with Cl. 11-2, sub-clause 2, Cl. 11-3 and Cl. 11-7, an insurer who is not liable for the total loss shall not be liable for new casualties occurring after the casualty that resulted in a total loss. The insurer who is liable for t...
Clause 11-1. Total loss
The assured may claim compensation for a total loss if the vessel is lost without there being any prospect of it being recovered or if the vessel is so badly damaged that it cannot be repaired. No deductions shall be made in the claims adjustment for unrepaired damage sustained by the vessel in...