The Marine Insurance Act, 1963
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Finance / Department of Financial Services
Section
Section 1 Short title and commencement.
(1) This Act may be called the Marine Insurance Act, 1963.
(2) It shall come into force on such date 1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
(2) It shall come into force on such date 1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
1. 1st August, 1963, vide notification No. S.O. 1925, dated 8th July, 1963, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
Section 2 Definitions.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--
(a) "contract of marine insurance" means a contract of marine insurance as defined by section 3;
(b) "freight" includes the profit derivable by a ship-owner from the employment of his ship to carry his own goods or other movables, as well as freight payable by a third party, but does not include passage money;
(c) "insurable property" means any ship, goods or other movables which are exposed to maritime perils;
(d) "marine adventure" includes any adventure where--
(i) any insurable property is exposed to maritime perils;
(ii) the earnings or acquisition of any freight, passage money, commission, profit or other pecuniary benefit, or the security for any advances, loans, or disbursements is endangered by the exposure of insurable property to maritime perils;
(iii) any liability to a third party may be incurred by the owner of, or other person interested in or responsible for, insurable property by reason of maritime perils;
(e) "maritime perils" means the perils consequent on, or incidental to, the navigation of the sea, that is to say, perils of the seas, fire, war perils, pirates, rovers, thieves, captures, seizures, restraints and detainments of princes and peoples, jettisons, barratry and any other perils which are either of the like kind or may be designated by the policy;
(f) "movables" means any movable tangible property, other than the ship, and includes money, valuable securities and other documents;
(g) "policy" means a marine policy;
(h) "ship" includes every description of vessel used in navigation;
(i) "suit" includes counter-claim and set-off.
(a) "contract of marine insurance" means a contract of marine insurance as defined by section 3;
(b) "freight" includes the profit derivable by a ship-owner from the employment of his ship to carry his own goods or other movables, as well as freight payable by a third party, but does not include passage money;
(c) "insurable property" means any ship, goods or other movables which are exposed to maritime perils;
(d) "marine adventure" includes any adventure where--
(i) any insurable property is exposed to maritime perils;
(ii) the earnings or acquisition of any freight, passage money, commission, profit or other pecuniary benefit, or the security for any advances, loans, or disbursements is endangered by the exposure of insurable property to maritime perils;
(iii) any liability to a third party may be incurred by the owner of, or other person interested in or responsible for, insurable property by reason of maritime perils;
(e) "maritime perils" means the perils consequent on, or incidental to, the navigation of the sea, that is to say, perils of the seas, fire, war perils, pirates, rovers, thieves, captures, seizures, restraints and detainments of princes and peoples, jettisons, barratry and any other perils which are either of the like kind or may be designated by the policy;
(f) "movables" means any movable tangible property, other than the ship, and includes money, valuable securities and other documents;
(g) "policy" means a marine policy;
(h) "ship" includes every description of vessel used in navigation;
(i) "suit" includes counter-claim and set-off.
Section 3 Marine insurance defined.
A contract of marine insurance is an agreement whereby the insurer undertakes to indemnify the assured, in the manner and to the extent thereby agreed, against marine losses, that is to say, the losses incidental to marine adventure.
Section 4 Mixed sea and land risks.
(1) A contract of marine insurance may, by its express terms, or by usage of trade, be extended so as to protect the assured against losses on inland waters or on any land risk which may be incidental to any sea voyage.
(2) Where a ship in course of building or the launch of a ship, or any adventure analogous to a marine adventure, is covered by a policy in the form of a marine policy, the provisions of this Act, in so far as applicable, shall apply thereto, but except as by this section provided, nothing in this Act shall alter or affect any rule of law applicable to any contract of insurance other than a contract of marine insurance as by this Act defined.
Explanation.--"An adventure analogous to a marine adventure" includes an adventure where any ship, goods or other movables are exposed to perils incidental to local or inland transit.
(2) Where a ship in course of building or the launch of a ship, or any adventure analogous to a marine adventure, is covered by a policy in the form of a marine policy, the provisions of this Act, in so far as applicable, shall apply thereto, but except as by this section provided, nothing in this Act shall alter or affect any rule of law applicable to any contract of insurance other than a contract of marine insurance as by this Act defined.
Explanation.--"An adventure analogous to a marine adventure" includes an adventure where any ship, goods or other movables are exposed to perils incidental to local or inland transit.
Section 5 Lawful marine adventure.
Subject to the provisions of this Act, every lawful marine adventure may be the subject of a contract of marine insurance.
Section 6 Avoidance of wagering contracts.
(1) Every contract of marine insurance by way of wagering is void.
(2) A contract of marine insurance is deemed to be a wagering contract:--
(a) where the assured has not an insurable interest as defined by this Act, and the contract is entered into with no expectation of acquiring such an interest; or
(b) where the policy is made "interest or no interest", or "without further proof of interest than the policy itself, or "without benefit of salvage to the insurer", or subject to any other like term:
Provided that, where there is no possibility of salvage, a policy may be effected without benefit of salvage to the insurer.
(2) A contract of marine insurance is deemed to be a wagering contract:--
(a) where the assured has not an insurable interest as defined by this Act, and the contract is entered into with no expectation of acquiring such an interest; or
(b) where the policy is made "interest or no interest", or "without further proof of interest than the policy itself, or "without benefit of salvage to the insurer", or subject to any other like term:
Provided that, where there is no possibility of salvage, a policy may be effected without benefit of salvage to the insurer.
Section 7 Insurable interest defined.
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, every person has an insurable interest who is interested in a marine adventure.
(2) In particular a person is interested in a marine adventure where he stands in any legal or equitable relation to the adventure or to any insurable property at risk therein, in consequence of which he may benefit by the safety or due arrival of insurable property, or may be prejudiced by its loss, or by damage thereto, or by the detention thereof, or may incur liability in respect thereof.
(2) In particular a person is interested in a marine adventure where he stands in any legal or equitable relation to the adventure or to any insurable property at risk therein, in consequence of which he may benefit by the safety or due arrival of insurable property, or may be prejudiced by its loss, or by damage thereto, or by the detention thereof, or may incur liability in respect thereof.
Section 8 When interest must attach.
(1) The assured must be interested in the subject-matter insured at the time of the loss, though he need not be interested when the insurance is effected:
Provided that, where the subject-matter is insured "lost or not lost", the assured may recover although he may not have acquired his interest until after the loss, unless at the time of effecting the contract of insurance the assured was aware of the loss, and the insurer was not.
(2) Where the assured has no interest at the time of the loss, he cannot acquire interest by any act or election after he is aware of the loss.
Provided that, where the subject-matter is insured "lost or not lost", the assured may recover although he may not have acquired his interest until after the loss, unless at the time of effecting the contract of insurance the assured was aware of the loss, and the insurer was not.
(2) Where the assured has no interest at the time of the loss, he cannot acquire interest by any act or election after he is aware of the loss.
Section 9 Defeasible or contingent interest.
(1) A defeasible interest is insurable, as also is a contingent interest.
(2) In particular, where the buyer of goods has insured them, he has an insurable interest, notwithstanding that he might, at his election, have rejected the goods, or have treated them as at the sellers risk, by reason of the latter's delay in making delivery or otherwise.
(2) In particular, where the buyer of goods has insured them, he has an insurable interest, notwithstanding that he might, at his election, have rejected the goods, or have treated them as at the sellers risk, by reason of the latter's delay in making delivery or otherwise.
Section 10 Partial interest.
A partial interest of any nature is insurable.
Section 11 Reinsurance.
(1) The insurer under a contract of marine insurance has an insurable interest in his risk, and may reinsure in respect of it.
(2) Unless the policy otherwise provides, the original assured has no right or interest in respect of such reinsurance.
(2) Unless the policy otherwise provides, the original assured has no right or interest in respect of such reinsurance.
Section 12 Bottomry.
The lender of money on bottomry or respondentia has an insurable interest in respect of the loan.
Section 13 Master’s and seamen’s wages.
The master or any member of the crew of a ship has an insurable interest in respect of his wages.
Section 14 Advance freight.
In the case of advance freight, the person advancing the freight has an insurable interest, in so far as such freight is not repayable in case of loss.
Section 15 Charges of insurance.
The assured has an insurable interest in the charges of any insurance which he may effect.
Section 16 Quantum of interest.
(1) Where the subject-matter insured is mortgaged, the mortgagor has an insurable interest in the full value thereof, and the mortgagee has an insurable interest in respect of any sum due or to become due under the mortgage.
(2) A mortgagee, consignee, or other person having an interest in the subject-matter insured may insure on behalf and for the benefit of other persons interested as well as for his own benefit.
(3) The owner of insurable property has an insurable interest in respect of the full value thereof, notwithstanding that some third person may have agreed, or be liable to indemnify him in case of loss.
(2) A mortgagee, consignee, or other person having an interest in the subject-matter insured may insure on behalf and for the benefit of other persons interested as well as for his own benefit.
(3) The owner of insurable property has an insurable interest in respect of the full value thereof, notwithstanding that some third person may have agreed, or be liable to indemnify him in case of loss.
Section 17 Assignment of interest.
Where the assured assigns or otherwise parts with his interest in the subject-matter insured, he does not thereby transfer to the assignee his rights under the contract of insurance, unless there be an express or implied agreement with the assignee to that effect.
But the provisions of this section do not affect transmission of interest by operation of law.
But the provisions of this section do not affect transmission of interest by operation of law.
Section 18 Measure of insurable value.
Subject to any express provision or valuation in the policy, the insurable value of the subject-matter insured must be ascertained as follows:--
(1) In insurance on ship, the insurable value is the value, at the commencement of the risk, of the ship, including her outfit, provisions, and stores for the officers and crew, money advanced for seamen's wages, and other disbursements (if any) incurred to make the ship fit for the voyage or adventure contemplated by the policy, plus the charges of insurance upon the whole.
The insurable value, in the case of a steamship, includes also the machinery, boilers, and coals and engine stores if owned by the assured; in the case of a ship driven by power other than steam includes also the machinery and fuels and engine stores, if owned by the assured; and in the case of a ship engaged in a special trade, includes also the ordinary fittings requisite for that trade.
(2) In insurance on freight, whether paid in advance or otherwise, the insurable value is the gross amount of the freight at the risk of the assured, plus the charges of insurance.
(3) In insurance on goods or merchandise, the insurable value is the prime cost of the property insured, plus the expenses of and incidental to shipping and the charges of insurance upon the whole.
(4) In insurance on any other subject-matter, the insurable value is the amount at the risk of the assured when the policy attaches, plus the charges of insurance.
(1) In insurance on ship, the insurable value is the value, at the commencement of the risk, of the ship, including her outfit, provisions, and stores for the officers and crew, money advanced for seamen's wages, and other disbursements (if any) incurred to make the ship fit for the voyage or adventure contemplated by the policy, plus the charges of insurance upon the whole.
The insurable value, in the case of a steamship, includes also the machinery, boilers, and coals and engine stores if owned by the assured; in the case of a ship driven by power other than steam includes also the machinery and fuels and engine stores, if owned by the assured; and in the case of a ship engaged in a special trade, includes also the ordinary fittings requisite for that trade.
(2) In insurance on freight, whether paid in advance or otherwise, the insurable value is the gross amount of the freight at the risk of the assured, plus the charges of insurance.
(3) In insurance on goods or merchandise, the insurable value is the prime cost of the property insured, plus the expenses of and incidental to shipping and the charges of insurance upon the whole.
(4) In insurance on any other subject-matter, the insurable value is the amount at the risk of the assured when the policy attaches, plus the charges of insurance.
Section 19 Insurance is uberrimae fidei.
A contract of marine insurance is a contract based upon the utmost good faith, and if the utmost good faith be not observed by either party, the contract may be avoided by the other party.
Section 20 Disclosure by assured.
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the assured must disclose to the insurer, before the contract is concluded, every material circumstance which, is known to the assured, and the assured is deemed to know every circumstance which, in the ordinary course of business, ought to be known to him. If the assured fails to make such disclosure, the insurer may avoid the contract.
(2) Every circumstance is material which would influence the judgment of a prudent insurer in fixing the premium, or determining whether he will take the risk.
(3) In the absence of inquiry the following circumstances need not be disclosed, namely:--
(a) any circumstance which diminishes the risk;
(b) any circumstance which is known or presumed to be known to the insurer. The insurer is presumed to know matters of common notoriety or knowledge, and matters which an insurer in the ordinary course of his business as such ought to know;
(c) any circumstance as to which information is waived by the insurer;
(d) any circumstance which it is superfluous to disclose by reason of any express or implied warranty.
(4) Whether any particular circumstance, which is not disclosed, be material or not is, in each case, a question of fact.
(5) The term "circumstance" includes any communication made to, or information received by, the assured.
(2) Every circumstance is material which would influence the judgment of a prudent insurer in fixing the premium, or determining whether he will take the risk.
(3) In the absence of inquiry the following circumstances need not be disclosed, namely:--
(a) any circumstance which diminishes the risk;
(b) any circumstance which is known or presumed to be known to the insurer. The insurer is presumed to know matters of common notoriety or knowledge, and matters which an insurer in the ordinary course of his business as such ought to know;
(c) any circumstance as to which information is waived by the insurer;
(d) any circumstance which it is superfluous to disclose by reason of any express or implied warranty.
(4) Whether any particular circumstance, which is not disclosed, be material or not is, in each case, a question of fact.
(5) The term "circumstance" includes any communication made to, or information received by, the assured.