Marine advice library

Finding a professional

How do I check a marine engineer is properly qualified and insured?

Ask for public liability insurance with the current expiry date, the trading name and company number, manufacturer or trade accreditations for the work in question, and two recent references. On Marine Match the Verified badge means our team has already checked identity, insurance and certificates before the professional can quote.

Marine work is largely unregulated: anyone can describe themselves as a marine engineer. The practical protections are insurance, evidence of training on the specific systems involved, and a paper trail for the work itself. Gas, and to a lesser degree electrical installation, are the areas where a missing certificate causes real problems at survey or insurance-renewal time.

Listings on Marine Match are clearly split. A listing marked as not yet verified is simply a business we know trades in that area — no checks have been made. A Verified professional has had identity, insurance and relevant certificates reviewed by our team, and only verified professionals can quote on a posted job.

Step by step

  1. Ask to see the public liability certificate and check the expiry date.
  2. Check the trading name matches the invoice and bank details you are given.
  3. Ask which manufacturer or trade accreditations cover the exact job.
  4. Ask for two references for similar recent work.
  5. Get the scope in writing before anyone starts.

Useful next

Get it looked at

Post the job once and up to three checked professionals who cover your area send private quotes. Not sure how to describe it? Talk it through with the assistant first.

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