Who wants to go yachting in a war zone?

A seemingly facetious question perhaps. However, war risk claims involving yachts are far from rare. The marine market has had to withstand many “war” events over the years, many of which have affected yachting.

During the peak period of Somali piracy between 2009 and 2012, a number of yachts were targeted and hijacked, including the SY QUEST, with those onboard being taken hostage ashore. More recently, in 2019 Houthi forces carried out attacks on commercial tonnage off Fujairah, and by 2024 had escalated their campaign to include attempts to disrupt Red Sea transits and to target vessels linked to Israel.

In parallel, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 also exposed yachts to conflict related risks, resulting in the total loss of several vessels. The implications of the sanctions regime imposed on Russia after the invasion have had far-reaching consequences for the considerable number of Russian-owned yachts, with over a dozen yachts being seized to date.

Bringing matters up to date, the industry is once again faced with war in the Persian Gulf. Seasearcher suggests that, as at the end of April 2026, there were 91 yachts in excess of 40m in the Persian Gulf, the majority of which are in the UAE. These include some very substantial yachts. As has been well covered in the media, the UAE (along with other Gulf states) have been subject to significant drone and missile attacks. Notably in Dubai, strikes have been reported in the vicinity of Dubai Creek Harbour and the Port of Fujairah. Missiles have also been fired at Israel and Cyprus in the direction of the Eastern Mediterranean more generally.

Thus, whilst on first glance it may appear counter-intuitive to suggest that yachts might operate in a war zone, our recent experience of yacht claims suggests that it is far more common than might be expected. Whilst some regions present a more obvious risk than others, until recently one would not have readily predicted that there would have been an enhanced chance of requiring war risks insurance whilst in UAE waters.

The importance of having in place a full suite of war risks insurance, purchased in conjunction with and complementary to marine risks, is something that yacht owners and their technical managers should not overlook. There are nuances around buying war risks insurance which extend beyond the choice of standard terms and conditions. There are often specific warranties which require consideration, as well as a system of additional premiums once the yacht is in a war risks zone; these are defined by the Joint War Risks Committee of the Lloyds’ Market Association.

For some owners it is also worth considering how their war risks insurance interacts with any cyber and/or kidnap and ransom insurance they might have in place, either in person, for the yacht or through their associated business interests. There is a difficult line between what is a “war” event, which for the purposes of cyber policy may be excluded, and what is a “cyber” event, which for the purposes of a war policy may be excluded. This requires thoughtful consideration of the needs of the owner and the risks that might be run.

Insurance is of course a last resort measure, with remediation and risk management being more powerful tools for preventing loss in the first instance. HFW has extensive experience of advising on risk mitigation strategies and handling war risks claims. We have also undertaken comprehensive insurance reviews for many yacht owners, aimed at assessing the scope of existing cover and identifying areas where adjustments may be required.