Navis Marine Insurance Brokers

What Navis Marine Insurance Brokers does

Navis Marine Insurance Brokers is a Vancouver-based, independently owned marine insurance brokerage founded in March 2011 by Paul Mendham after a decade at HUB International. The firm specializes exclusively in marine insurance for both recreational boaters and commercial marine businesses, positioning itself as a specialist alternative to generalist brokerages. Two core product lines anchor the offering: Yacht & Boat Insurance covering vessels from dinghies to mega yachts across cruising, racing, sport fishing, and live-aboard use cases; and a broader Commercial Insurance line subdivided into vessels, manufacturers (builder's risk), dealers/brokers, repairers, marina operators, cargo, and specialty marine coverage. The company has grown to approximately 19 named staff spanning yacht, commercial, claims, marketing, and client service functions.

As a Lloyd's of London Coverholder, Navis operates with in-house underwriting and claims authority, providing access to over 90 Lloyd's syndicates plus Canadian and international markets — a regulatory credential that requires annual rigorous vetting. Distribution is built around three motions: direct sales via website quote requests and 24/7 phone lines; a referral channel through BC boat dealers (Fraser Yacht Sales, Aviso, Blackfish, Bayview, and others) embedded in quote forms; and group plans with six Vancouver-area yacht clubs offering preferential rates to members. The business model is commission-based brokerage on marine insurance premiums, with annual billing cycles and quote-based custom pricing. Recurring relationships are emphasized — several named commercial clients have worked with the founder for 12+ years and through their own operational expansion, indicating switching costs rooted in marine-specific expertise and bespoke policy wording that generalist brokers cannot easily replicate.

Name

Navis Marine Insurance Brokers

Legal name

Navis Marine Insurance Brokers

Website

https://navismarine.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Navis Marine Insurance Brokers is a Vancouver-based, independent marine insurance brokerage and Lloyd's of London Coverholder serving recreational boaters and commercial marine businesses — including manufacturers, dealers, marina operators, and cargo transporters — across Western Canada and the US Pacific Northwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Specialty (Hull/P&I/Cargo) (FSAJAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Yacht & Pleasure Craft Insurance (FSAJAHAI)

Keywords

• Marine insurance brokerage
• Yacht insurance coverage
• Commercial marine insurance
• Lloyd's Coverholder services
• Boat insurance policies

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Commissions: As an insurance brokerage, Navis earns commissions from insurance carriers for placing marine insurance policies. They represent multiple insurance providers including Lloyd's of London syndicates and Canadian insurers, scouring the market to find best policies for clients. Revenue is generated through premiums paid by clients, with brokers receiving a percentage as commission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Navis Marine Insurance Brokers is a specialized marine insurance brokerage that places hull, liability, cargo, builder's risk, marina operator, dealer, and repairer coverages with both Canadian insurers and Lloyd's of London syndicates. As a Lloyd's Coverholder, the firm exercises in-house underwriting and claims authority, providing recreational boaters and commercial marine operators with tailored policies, 24/7 emergency claims support, and access to international insurance markets.

Product overview

Navis Marine Insurance Brokers is a specialized marine insurance brokerage offering two core product lines: Yacht & Boat Insurance for recreational boaters covering vessels from dinghies to mega yachts, and Commercial Insurance for marine businesses including manufacturers, dealers, repairers, marina operators, cargo transporters, and specialty operations. The company operates as a Lloyd's of London Coverholder, providing access to both Canadian and international insurance markets. Services include 24/7 claims support and coverage tailored to individual client needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yacht & Boat Insurance Comprehensive marine insurance coverage for recreational vessels ranging from dinghies to mega yachts, with coverage types for cruising, offshore sailing, racing, sport fishing, live-aboard use, and super yachts with full-time crews. Designed for individual boat owners whose needs exceed standard homeowners policies.
• Commercial Insurance Marine-specific commercial insurance solutions covering commercial vessels, boat manufacturers, dealers, repairers, marina operators, cargo transporters, and specialty marine businesses. Includes hull and machinery, charterer's legal liability, breach of warranty, mortgage interests, protection and indemnity, builder's risk, dealer inventory, E&O, marina operator's legal liability, cargo insurance, and specialty coverages for wharves, terminals, salvage, semi-submersible vessels, bare boat/time charters, and armed marine security.
• Yacht Club Group Plans Group insurance plans for members of affiliated yacht clubs offering greater coverage, lower deductibles, and reduced premiums. Eligible organizations include Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, Royal Victoria Yacht Club, West Vancouver Yacht Club, Vancouver Rowing Club, Eagle Harbour Yacht Club, and GB Cruising Club of BC.
• 24/7 Claims Support and Emergency Assistance Round-the-clock claims hotline (778-870-9412) with the ability in certain cases to approve claims immediately over the phone, call repairmen, and coordinate emergency response — leveraging Lloyd's Coverholder in-house claims authority.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24/7 claims availability with immediate phone approval in certain cases
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lloyd's of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNavis is a Lloyd's of London Coverholder, providing access to over 90 insurance companies in the Lloyd's marketplace. This partnership enables in-house underwriting and claims authority, allowing immediate support for clients without waiting for outside approval. The relationship requires annual rigorous compliance and vetting, ensuring high professional standards.
• Fraser Yacht SalesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoat dealer referral partner. Fraser Yacht Sales refers yacht purchase clients to Navis for insurance coverage and policy advice. Testimonials indicate satisfaction with exceptional service, competitive rates, and comprehensive follow-up for their clients.
• Aviso Yacht Sales Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoat dealer referral partner listed in Navis quote request forms as a dealer referral option. Customers purchasing from Aviso are referred to Navis for marine insurance coverage.
• Royal Vancouver Yacht ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup insurance plan partner. RVYC members are eligible for Navis boat insurance through a group plan with greater coverage, lower deductibles, and reduced premiums.
• Royal Victoria Yacht ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup insurance plan partner. RVYC members are eligible for Navis boat insurance through a group plan with preferential rates.
• West Vancouver Yacht ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup insurance plan partner. WVYC members are eligible for Navis boat insurance through a group plan with preferential rates.
• Vancouver Rowing ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup insurance plan partner. VRC members are eligible for Navis boat insurance through a group plan with preferential rates.
• Eagle Harbour Yacht ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup insurance plan partner. Eagle Harbour Yacht Club members are eligible for Navis boat insurance through a group plan with preferential rates.
• GB Cruising Club of BCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup insurance plan partner. GBCC members are eligible for Navis boat insurance through a group plan with preferential rates.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Large global insurance brokerage with marine specialty practice. Competes for mid-market and enterprise marine accounts by offering integrated insurance programs across multiple lines of business.
• Aon: Global insurance brokerage with marine capabilities. Competes for large commercial marine accounts and offers marine clients broader risk management and consulting services beyond pure brokerage.
• Marsh: Global insurance broker and risk management firm with substantial marine practice. Serves enterprise marine clients with broader portfolio offerings; competes for commercial marine accounts that Navis also targets.
• Hiscox: Specialty insurer and broker with marine insurance offerings including yacht and commercial marine coverage. Operates across multiple specialty lines, providing marine insurance through direct and broker channels in North America.
• HUB International: Large North American insurance brokerage where Navis founder Paul Mendham worked for 10 years as SVP Marine. Operates a marine practice that competes with Navis for marine insurance brokerage in Western Canada, but as part of a much broader P&C portfolio.
• Travelers Marine: Major US insurance carrier with marine practice covering yacht, boat, and commercial marine risks. Competes indirectly through carrier relationships and provides policy capacity that Navis may access as a broker.
• Brown & Brown: US-based insurance brokerage with marine and recreational specialty practices. Provides marine insurance brokerage at greater scale than Navis, competing for both recreational and commercial marine clients.

Direct peers

• BoatUS Marine Insurance: US-based marine insurance program administered by GEICO that specializes in recreational boat insurance. Direct competitor in the recreational/yacht marine insurance segment, though focused on US market rather than Canada.
• Navacord: Canadian brokerage network that appears alongside Navis in the firm's logo ('Navis-Navacord'). Provides broker partnership, resources, and scale advantages to Navis while operating complementary regional brokerages across Canada.

Emerging players

• West Marine Insurance: Marine retail and insurance provider offering boat insurance through partnerships. While primarily a retailer, their insurance program competes for recreational boater customers in the same niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/navismarine
• Xx.com/NavisInsurance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Navis Marine Insurance Brokers