Can Nansen Holt handle yacht claims for an insurer?

Yes. Nansen Holt can act as an external claims department: we take the first notification, contact the policyholder, collect documents, instruct a surveyor from our network, check repair quotations line by line and give a settlement recommendation with a figure, or settle within an agreed authority and report to you. Surveying and claims handling are kept as separate roles in every file, and the insurer keeps full instruction and audit rights. Terms are agreed per insurer.

Can you survey a yacht in a country where I have no contacts?

Yes. You send Nansen Holt the location and the vessel, and we assign an affiliated surveyor in that region. You deal with us in English or German; the surveyor on site speaks the local language.

How quickly can a surveyor attend?

That depends on the region and the season. We tell you the earliest realistic date in our first reply, together with the cost, so you can decide before anything is instructed.

What does a yacht survey cost?

Damage, condition and expert surveys are charged by the hour plus travel time and mileage, at one rate card worldwide. Pre-purchase surveys are a fixed price per metre of the yacht's length. You receive the figure in writing before we instruct a surveyor.

Who do I contract with?

With Nansen Holt. The affiliated surveyor acts as our subcontractor. You have one contract, one invoice and one contact, whatever country the vessel is in.

Who reviews the report?

Nansen Holt. Every report is checked against the photographs, the figures and the attachments before it is released.

Do you work for private owners and buyers, or only for insurers?

For all of them. Insurers, adjusters and law firms instruct us for claims and disputes; buyers for pre-purchase surveys abroad; owners for valuations, repair supervision, damage surveys and coding or flag inspections.

Desktop review and second opinion

Already holding a survey report, a yard quote or a repair invoice? We check it from the documents: cause, extent, repair method and price, so you know where you stand before you pay or settle.

Request a survey

What you get

A written review in English, in the Nansen Holt format, signed by the reviewing surveyor. It lists every document it is based on.

Survey report: are the cause, the extent of damage and the conclusions supported by the photos, the account of the incident and the other documents?
Repair quotes and invoices, line by line: labour hours and rates, materials, betterment, and items not related to the incident
Figures and consistency: arithmetic, VAT and currency, duplicated items, and contradictions between report, quote and photos
Repair method: appropriate and proportionate, or more than the damage requires
Our figure: an adjusted amount where justified, with the reason for every change
Open points: what cannot be judged from documents, and whether an attendance is worth the cost

When it helps

A second opinion on another surveyor's report, for insurers, law firms and owners
A yard quote that looks high, before you approve it
A final invoice that differs from the agreed quote
Vessels that have already been repaired, have sunk or lie too far away for an attendance
Small claims where travel costs would exceed the benefit
Disputes with a yard, a seller or an insurer

Basis and limits

A desktop review relies on the documents and photos provided. We do not inspect the vessel, so we state clearly what the documents show, what they do not show, and where only an attendance can settle the question. If an attendance or a remote survey is needed, we say so before you incur further cost. The decision on cover and settlement stays with you.

Questions

Is a desktop review enough to settle a claim?

Often, yes. Many quote and invoice checks can be completed from documents. Where only an attendance can settle a point, we say so before you incur further cost.

What do you need from us?

The report or quote under review, photos, invoices and the account of the incident. The more complete the file, the firmer the conclusion.

Who signs the review?

The reviewing surveyor, who is named in the report.

How to instruct

Use the form below and upload what you have: the survey report, quotes, invoices, photos and the account of the incident. We confirm the scope and a fixed fee in writing before we start. You can also send the file to claims@nansenholt.com.