Guidance

Certificate of proof of civil, passenger, other liability insurance

How ship owners, brokers and operators can apply to MCA for passenger, bunker, tanker and wreck removal compulsory liability insurance certificates.

Compulsory insurance certificates听

UK ships and ships coming to or from the UK, or other state party, must have flag state certificates to prove that they have the relevant compulsory civil liability insurance against oil pollution. This applies to:听

Passengers and luggage (PAL) insurance 听

Vessels licensed to carry more than 12 passengers must have passenger liability insurance in the event of accidents.听

UK passenger vessels on international voyages must have a certificate issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to show that insurance is in place.听

Passenger vessels not registered in a state party to the 2002 Athens Protocol or an EU/EEA state may also apply to the鈥MCA鈥痶o get a鈥PAL鈥痠nsurance certificate.听

You鈥檒l need to provide evidence of both 鈥渨ar risks鈥 and 鈥渘on-war risks鈥 insurance when you apply.听

Wreck removal insurance听

UK ships and ships coming to or from the UK, or other state party, must have flag state certificates to prove that they have the relevant compulsory liability insurance for the locating, marking and removing of wrecks. This applies to all vessels over 300 GT.听

The Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention 2007 (NWRC 2007) came into force on the 14 April 2015. 罢丑别鈥MCA鈥痺as able to issue certificates on behalf of the UK from this date.听

罢丑别鈥MCA鈥痠s prepared to accept applications from non-state parties, however priority will be given to applications for UK-flagged vessels, and each application is considered on a case-by-case basis.听

How to apply听

Before you start听

You鈥檒l need a Blue Card addressed to the MCA.听

Each Compulsory Insurance Certificate for each vessel will cost 拢31. Certificates are electronic and will be emailed to the applicant. Payment can be made online as part of the application. If you wish to pay via a rolling account select 鈥渄on鈥檛 want to pay online鈥 and we鈥檒l contact you to confirm the payment.听

You can apply for Civil Liability Certificates online by following these steps. 听

Apply online听

  1. Go to .听
  2. Select 鈥淪ign in鈥 to log into your account or if you do not have an account select, 鈥渃reate one now鈥 at the sign in page.听
  3. Once signed into your account, select 鈥淩equest a compulsory insurance certificate鈥 - you can request and pay for multiple Civil Liability Certificates in one application.听听

Types of certificate听

The 4 types of certificate are:听

  • BCLC 鈥 Bunker Convention 2001听
  • CLC鈥 Civil Liability Convention 1992 (Tankers)听
  • PAL鈥 Athens Protocol 2002 and Regulation (EC) 392/2009听
  • NWRC 鈥 Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention 2007听

If you apply online, you鈥檒l be able to view issued Civil Liability Certificates at any time and keep track of all applications.听

Other ways to apply听

You can apply by emailing uksr@mcga.gov.uk and providing the following information, along with the required Blue Card/s: 听

  • vessel name(s)听
  • IMO number(s)听
  • GT听
  • type of certificate required听
  • insurer听
  • how you would like to pay听
  • Blue Card addressed to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) for each Compulsory Insurance Certificate听

Approved insurers听

An insurer must be approved by MCA before a Compulsory Insurance Certificate can be issued and the approved insurers鈥 details must match the details the MCA holds for them, any updates should be approved before a Compulsory Certificate can be issued.听听

Unknown insurers听

If an insurer is unknown to the MCA, it may be because the Department for Transport (DfT) has not yet checked that this insurer meets the UK鈥檚 criteria to provide cover for the following conventions:听

  • BCLC 鈥 Bunker Convention 2001听
  • CLC 鈥 Civil Liability Convention 1992 (Tankers)听
  • PAL 鈥 Athens Protocol 2002 and Regulation (EC) 392/2009听
  • NWRC 鈥 Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention 2007听

You may still apply for certificates from the MCA, however before we can issue these certificates your insurer will need to provide us with evidence that they fulfil our criteria.听

Please see the UK criteria for approval of insurers providing cover for the Civil Liability Certificates - Annexes A, B and C.

Applications supported by Blue Cards issued by an unknown insurer will be delayed until it has been confirmed the insurer meets the UK鈥檚 criteria to provide cover for the above conventions.听

Certificate fees听

Passenger liability certificates, wreck removal liability certificates, bunker and tanker certificates cost 拢31 each.听

Please note, certificates will not be issued until payment has been received.听

Payment methods听

Payment must be made in full before certificates will be released.听听

You can pay by any of the following methods:听

  • credit or debit card 鈥撯 when making an application through you can select 鈥渁ccept and pay online鈥, which will take you to a linked 伊人直播 payment system听
  • MCA鈥 rolling credit account听
  • BACS听

The MCA鈥痙oes not issue invoices unless you ask for this in writing or by email.听Please e-mail鈥uksr@mcga.gov.uk鈥痠f you need an invoice or if you have any queries regarding your payment.听

Cancelled certificates听

Each liability convention allows an insurer to cancel their cover of a vessel鈥檚 insurance by providing a set amount of notice to the issuing authority. Once notice is received that an insurer wishes to cancel their insurance for a vessel, the鈥MCA鈥痺ill cancel the electronic certificate.听

Contact us听

You can contact the UK Ship Register by email, phone or post.听

UK Ship Register (The Registry of Shipping and Seamen)听听

UKSR@mcga.gov.uk

+44 (0)20 3908 5200听

UK Ship Register (The Registry of Shipping and Seamen)听
Anchor Court听
Keen Road听
Cardiff听
CF24 5JW听

How we handle your personal information

The 鈥MCA 鈥痷ses personal information we collect about you when you apply for a certificate of insurance or other financial security in respect of one of the international maritime organisations conventions regarding compulsory insurance for a vessel or vessels.听

To find out more about how the鈥MCA looks after personal data, your rights, and how to contact our data protection officer, please go to the鈥MCApersonal information charter鈥痯age.听

Updates to this page

Published 1 May 2014
Last updated 6 September 2024 show all updates
  1. Updated guidance on how to apply for liability insurance certificates.

  2. Updated delivery charges to 拢35:00

  3. Change to payment methods

  4. Amend the payment details for credit and debit cards

  5. Updated countries and dates.

  6. Amended service level agreement

  7. Price of Bunker and Tanker certificates has increased from 拢16 to 拢31.

  8. The bunker and tanker overview has been updated.

  9. Updated text

  10. Updated text

  11. Updated list of signatories

  12. updated link

  13. bank details change

  14. updated office and courier cost

  15. Updated certificate issuance time

  16. Cayman Islands added to exclusions on Wreck Removal Convention List

  17. Please note we are currently experiencing an increased number of applications due to the insurance renewal period. Any applications for non-UK registered vessels received on or after the 1st February 2017 are unlikely to be completed before the 20th February. If you require your certificates before the 20th February, we recommend you apply to another state party to the relevant convention.

  18. The MCA is not able to issue Wreck Removal convention certificates to China from 11 February 2017.

  19. Cancelled certificates section added and Finland Wreck accession added

  20. Countries added and deleted from exemption lists

  21. Updated flag states we can issue certificates to

  22. Updated contact number for CLC Enquiries

  23. Added St Kitts and Nevis to Wreck Convention and Fiji to Bunker Convention - dates indicate when we can no longer issue certificates

  24. Please note, our bank details have changed with effect from 18 March 2016 - if you have made payment to our CITIBANK account since that date, please contact us for guidance.

  25. Updated to include Wreck Removal certificates no longer issued to - Netherlands from 19 April 2016 and France 4 May 2016

  26. Updated - The MCA doesn鈥檛 issue invoices unless you ask for this in writing or by email. Please e-mail CLCFinance@mcga.gov.uk if you require an invoice or if you have any queries regarding your payment.

  27. Updated: MSF 3241 rev 1115 e-application for UK compulsory insurance certificates

  28. Update - It is recommended that you make your CLC applications in good time if you want to receive your certificates by the time they are due.

  29. Updated: UK Criteria for approval of insurers providing cover for civil liability certificates - Annex A & B

  30. UPDATE: From 1 November 2015 all applications must be made via email. Further guidance has been provided concerning Insurers who are not listed on the application form.

  31. UPDATE: Change to postal applications

  32. Updated: With effect from the 1st November 2015 please use our Email Application form, MSF 3241. See further updates to; Passengers and luggage (PAL) insurance overview & Wreck Removal insurance overview.

  33. Update: Montenegro 鈥 From 9 December 2015

  34. Updates to Bunkers Convention, Tanker Convention and Wreck Removal states.

  35. No longer able to issue sections updated

  36. Update: Major delay on processing applications

  37. Amended date of application after which certificates cannot be guranteed for 14 April 2015.

  38. UPDATE - Processing delay of Wreck Removal applications.

  39. Advice about processing timescale added 14 March 2015

  40. Additional guidance concerning fees for Wreck Convention certificates added 9 February 2015.

  41. MCA is no longer able to issue Wreck Removal convention certificates to vessels flagged in Malta 鈥 from 18 April 2015.

  42. Details now provided for applications for NWRC 鈥 Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention 2007 certificates from 1 February 2015

  43. Certificate of proof of civil, passenger or other liability insurance: document amendments due to the introduction of the Wreck Removal Convention (NWRC 2007) which is coming into force on the 14 April 2015.

  44. Updated for new M-Notices, revised form MSF 3241 and states for which certificates can no longer be issued

  45. First published.

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