§ 1920 Ship Seaworthiness Warranty

• •All marine insurance policies for ships carry an implied warranty of seaworthiness.
• •The ship must be in good condition and safe for the voyage.
• •If the ship is not seaworthy, the insurance may not cover losses.

You buy insurance for a cargo ship that will carry goods across the ocean. The ship later sinks because it had a broken hull that should have been fixed before the trip.

Because the insurance includes an implied promise that the ship was seaworthy, the insurer can say the ship wasn't safe and may refuse to pay the claim.