From here we started working on the requirements by the Russian Authorities, which included the yacht to have insurance. This was quite an involved process.
As a starting point we contacted a number of yacht insurance companies from an internet search. This didn’t prove to be very successful as a number of companies refused outright. We knew who Børge Ousland had been insured with and so made enquiries with them too. While they were looking into being able to insure ‘Northabout’ we continued to try and find some insurance. One company from the internet did give us a useful bit of information and suggested that we contacted a specialist yacht insurance broker and recommended Simon Winter Marine. We contacted Simon Winter Marine and they didn’t think that they would have any problems finding us insurance.
We tried a number of other avenues while our specialist insurance broker continued to work hard on our behalf. We contacted the yachts that sailed through both the North West Passage in 2014 and the one yacht that sailed the North East Passage in 2014. We also contacted the one yacht that attempted to circumnavigate the North Pole in one summer season in 2013. They had made it through the North East Passage and over wintered in Vancouver before continuing on their journey through the North West Passage in 2014. We also tracked down the companies and brokers that provided insurance through Lloyds of London and contacted them.