It’s boating season! Watercraft Insurance and FAQs
by Sean Adair
Boating season is here. What insurance do you need for your watercraft? Let’s talk about that…
Watercraft insurance typically offers coverage similar to your personal auto insurance policy including:
Liability coverage while you are boating in the event you injure another person or cause damage to another person’s property (boat, dock, etc.) This coverage may be offered on a combined single limit or split limit basis.
Medical payments coverage for you and your passengers. This coverage can cover injuries to you and your passengers regardless of who caused the accident. This coverage can also apply if you or your passengers are injured while skiing behind your watercraft.
Uninsured/underinsured watercraft coverage. This coverage provides bodily injury coverage for you and your passengers in the event you’re involved in an accident and the other, at fault boater, does have any or enough liability insurance.
Property coverage for your boat or personal watercraft. This coverage can include collision coverage for your boat or watercraft in the event it collides with another object such as another boat or dock. Hull or comprehensive coverage may also be available to protect your investment in the event of a fire, theft, or damage from a storm.
Additional coverage are often available as well, including towing if you are stuck on the water, personal effects coverage for equipment related to boating but unattached from the watercraft, coverage for fishing equipment and coverage for your trailer.
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about watercraft insurance:
Is watercraft insurance required to operate a boat on the water?
Unlike auto insurance, most states do not require you carry watercraft insurance in order to operate a boat on the water. However, boats can cause a lot of damage or injuries and it is wise to protect yourself and your watercraft. Some finance companies or marinas may require you to carry watercraft insurance. Many boaters won’t purchase watercraft insurance since it is not required, so the need for your own policy including uninsured watercraft coverage is very important.
Can personal watercrafts be insured?
Personal watercrafts, like Jet Skis and WaveRunners, can be insured on a watercraft policy.
Doesn’t my homeowner’s insurance cover my watercraft or boat?
The short answer is probably not. While your homeowner’s policy may cover small watercraft in the event they’re damaged on your property, you likely won’t have the type of coverage you need for a boat on the water, especially a motor boat.
While being towed, is a boat covered under the auto insurance policy of the vehicle towing it?
Typically a trailered boat is going to be covered for liability by the vehicle towing it in the event it causes damage to another person’s property or injures another vehicle’s passengers. However, coverage for the boat itself would generally not be covered and a watercraft policy would be needed for this.
Can you insure multiple boats and watercrafts on a single policy?
Like an automobile policy, multiple boats and watercrafts can be insured on one policy.
Sources:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/watercraft-insurance.asp https://www.progressive.com/boat/coverages/ https://www.safeco.com/products/boat-insurance
Are you ready to purchase watercraft insurance?
Complete our Contact Us form or call us at 800-832-4689 and we would be happy to help you with your insurance for your boat, jet ski, WaveRunner and other watercrafts.
About Sean
Drone Tech Enthusiast, Fan of the Royals, Chiefs, and Jayhawks, and Insurance Agent
Direct Phone - 913-754-3828 sadair@maxinsurance.com
Sean started working at MAX in October of 2019. Outside the world of insurance, Sean enjoys spending time with his family and traveling whenever and wherever he can. While traveling, he gets to enjoy his favorite hobby, which is flying his drone and practicing amateur photography. He is a big fan of the Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, and the Kansas Jayhawks!