Your Boat Shouldn’t Ride in the Wake of Your Homeowner’s Insurance

If you weren’t getting your boat or other water toys out over the Memorial Day weekend, you likely saw the masses that were. So, uncover your yachts, and rig up your sailboats. It’s time to get back on the water and into the currents! Just remember the essentials: sunscreen, fishing lines, hydration and, of course, your insurance. Well-loved watercraft need protection from damage and liability like your skin needs protection from the sun, but the larger and more powerful your craft, the less likely it is that your homeowner’s policy will cover it.According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, most homeowner’s policies will only cover up to $1,500 of theft or damage to your boat, and, even then, they do not cover sailboats over 26 feet or motorboats with motors more powerful than a 50 hp inboard motor or a 25 hp outboard motor. Plus, very few stretch to cover jet skis.I know they may be your home away from home, but boats and watercrafts need a different kind of insurance than what you give your house. Like home insurance, boat and watercraft insurance covers you if, heaven forbid, someone were to be injured on your boat. Most policies also protect your boat against theft, disasters like fire or flood and so much more. For more information about the necessity of boating and watercraft policies, click here.Like car insurance, boat and watercraft policies cover you for any accidents on the water, whether they involve people, other boats or docks. According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2013 Recreational Boating Statistics, there were over 90 boating accidents in the state of Georgia alone last year, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. If you do not have adequate boating insurance and you have a boating accident, you will be paying for the damages yourself.So, like your car is not covered by your homeowner’s policy, neither should your boat. Talk with an insurance agent in Sandy Springs about what boat and watercraft insurance covers and pack this summer with safe, worry-free fun in the sun as you cruise on the water.At Risk & Insurance Consultants, we want to make sure your boat and other watercraft have the protection they need against accidents and disaster. Contact us today to make sure your boat is covered. Just call 404-459-5975.