Nothing says warm weather quite like hitting the open water in a shiny new boat. But before you set sail, make sure you and your investment are protected with the right coverage.
Why You Should Get Boat Insurance
Boat insurance protects against liability and accidental damage to the boat, but also things you might not think about, such as the cost of replacing your newer boat with a brand new model, fuel spill liability, salvage coverage and wreck removal. Additional coverage can be purchased to protect your personal property, such as fishing gear and watersports equipment, as well as to provide towing options for both on and off the water and while trailering your boat.
Boat insurance is available for a wide variety of vessels, from bow riders, center consoles and pontoons, to personal watercrafts (PWCs). Current GEICO auto policyholders, boaters with good driving records and those who have passed boating-safety courses, could be eligible for discounts.
New boaters should bear in mind that some boat insurance policies require you to operate your boat within a specified geographic area. If you plan on taking your boat outside this area, there are options to extend your coverage.
Trailering Your Boat
It’s important to understand what is and isn’t covered by your boat insurance when you’re towing your boat to the water. Boat insurance will cover physical damage to your boat trailer, but there is no liability coverage.
“The liability of towing a trailer is never covered by boat insurance,” says Mike Pellerin, vice president of underwriting at BoatU.S. “That’s always covered under auto insurance. So if you back your trailer into another vehicle or cause damage to others’ property, the liability is usually tied to your automobile.”
Pellerin further advises boaters to confirm their auto insurance provides coverage for towing a trailer before they attempt to transport a boat on the road. The purchase of additional coverage may be required.
Premium Towing Coverage
GEICO’s boat insurance program offers Premium Towing coverage, which can be used for breakdowns on the water or for roadside assistance. The roadside assistance is especially helpful, as many auto insurance policies do not provide coverage for towing the boat when the vehicle breaks down.
“There’s nothing worse than seeing a boat on the side of the road, unattached, because roadside assistance picked up your vehicle and towed it away, but didn’t have the capability to take your boat,” says Pellerin. “We have identified service providers around the country who have the capability to get your boat, trailer and vehicle off the road.”
This Premium Towing roadside assistance service can be used in the event of flat tires, vehicular breakdowns or even if you lock your keys in your truck. It’s also available in the event of a mishap at a boat ramp.
“We’ve seen people back down too far, beyond the end of the ramp, and they are unable to pull their boat back out,” says Pellerin. “You don’t even need to be roadside to still need assistance—you can be at the ramp and use this service to have your rig and trailer pulled out.”
To avoid any setbacks on the road, Pellerin advises boaters to confirm that their vehicle’s tow rating is more than enough to carry their boat. And pay attention to normal boat maintenance by greasing the wheel bearings and lug nuts on the trailer, checking the tire pressure and ensuring the brakes and lights are working properly.
Before you hit the water this summer, be sure to visit geico.com, where you can learn more about the boat insurance policies available for a wide variety of watercraft and PWCs and get a free quote.
Looking for boat buying advice, boat tips and more? Visit boatus.com for everything you’ll need.
Johne890 says,
Really informative article post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Annie Marks says,
That is awesome that there are trailers made specifically to tow your boat! I like that you can easily attach the trailer hitch to your car to be able to transport it to any location. That is cool that you can tow you boat to different marinas around! Thank you for sharing!
Zach Potter says,
I always seem to find Geico websites when doing research! I am prepping our boat trailer and boat for next year and just have been reading up on a few things to get ready. We have never really considered getting boat insurance but we may have to when we get our new one that we have been saving for. Thank you for the information!
Deanna R. Jones says,
The information about how there are boat insurance companies that offer Premium Towing coverage really interested me. It seems like that would be really handy if I get stuck out on the water. That sounds like coverage that I would need since I’m going boating for the first time next week, so I’ll need that coverage to make sure that I can get some help if I find myself stuck on the water. Thanks for the tips!
Paige Smith says,
I have never really thought about purchasing boat insurance before. We have a boat, that we use rarely. However, getting boat insurance might be useful for sure.
Drew Harrison says,
Is there a way to combine boat and car insurance? I hate having two bills and would like to just unify it. That would be really handy and incredible if I could!