Boat owners are being urged to contact their insurers to check their insurance will still be valid, before switching to lithium-ion batteries, according to a recent report in Practical Boat Owner.

Published 12 months ago

Source:  Practical Boat Owner

A contributor to the Practical Boat Owner (PBO), Will Renilson of Beccles, Suffolk in the United Kingdom, had been looking to change to lithium batteries for his domestic battery bank after his 440Ah AGM (absorbed glass mat) domestic battery bank failed for a second time

Will contacted his insurer and was told changing batteries, particularly to lithium-ion, ‘would impact cover’ unless the changes were agreed by the insurer and met an extensive list of requirements.

Although lithium-ion batteries are used in smaller watercraft or are sometimes fitted by DIY-ers, using repurposed lithium-ion car batteries, most boat owners opt for Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4), which is much safer. The LFP cells are nearly fireproof, although any battery can cause a fire if fitted incorrectly.

A spokesman for insurance company Haven Knox-Johnston (HK-J), which has published an onlione lithium-ion battery guidance online, said: “Insurers are starting to build up changes to policy wordings which will be implemented in the future. These are not yet 100% crystallised and the affect on premium is, as yet, unknown. We hope the changes brought in are sensible and proportional to the risks and we’re working closely with the industry to try and ensure a smooth transition as we do not want to stop people doing their bit for the environment.”

HK-J is holding a webinar with experts to set out some facts about lithium batteries, on Thursday 23 November.

Register at: Tinyurl.com/HavenKJWebinar

Coastguard Guidance

In a Marine Guidance Note (MGN) published in June 2023, the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said: “There has recently been an increase in the number of fires on yachts, with industry groups estimating 16 total losses due to fire between August 2021 and August 2022; whilst the source of some of these fires are explained and have no relation to the measures proposed in this guidance (for example arson, collateral damage from another fire, etc.) around half have not had their cause established yet; one potential explanation for the unexplained fires, out of many potential causes, could be lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery fires.”

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Related News

• Insurance Cover Concerns over Lithium Batteries (Practical Boat Owner)
• Lithium-ion Batteries are a Growing Concern for Insurers (Legal Day)

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Related Links

• Register for HK-J Webinar
• Lithium-ion Batteries Guidance (Navigation & General Insurance)
• Pros and Cons of Lithium-ion Batteries (HK-J)
• UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency Guidance Notes

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