Boat Insurance Policies & Coverages
There is nothing like the feeling of freedom out on the water. It truly is the best feeling. The beautiful warm sun, lapping waves and the cool breeze is simply nirvana. You love your time spent on your boat and the many memories you make are the reason your investment is worth every penny. It is for this reason alone why you want to have the best boat insurance coverage in order to ensure that no matter what happens out in the water, you and your investment are secured. North Central Insurance is the only insurance company you will ever need to provide you with the right coverage at a premium that is very easy on your pocket.
WHAT IS BOAT INSURANCE
Simply put, boat insurance is a policy that provides protection for you and your boat in the event that something unexpected happens. You will find that this insurance policy quote may include protection for damage to your boat including the equipment as well as injuries that may arise to people and damage to property and to other boats. At North Central Insurance, we can quote you to get the best boat insurance to cover most vessels with engines or sails and we can also provide you with coverage for outboard, inboard or inboard boats, sailboats, houseboats and even personal watercraft. We offer the complete package to help ensure you have peace of mind.
Is there a Real Need to Get Boat Insurance?
Sure you will find that there are some states that do not require everyone to get boat insurance but why should you still have it? The answer is pretty simple: personal peace of mind. Anything can happen out in the water. Even if you are the most cautions person out there, you still cannot control other people and boats including other watercraft near you. There is nothing like the personal peace of mind you get knowing you are covered by a boat insurance policy from a dependable company. In the event that a covered accident occurs and you have the right boat insurance policy, you are only responsible for paying the deductible and the insurance can cover the rest. However, without boat insurance, you will get sued to cover the cost of repairs to someone else’s boat, property and medical bills. Without boat insurance, you alone are stuck holding the enormous bills to repair your boat. It is better to have boat insurance and not need it, rather than having no insurance and find yourself in a situation where you really need it. North Central Insurance company is the insurance company that can handle all your needs. Let us help you get the coverage you deserve.
Even if you have a homeowner’s policy, a separate boat insurance policy provides you with more options and a more specialized protection as well. Protection such as increased physical damage limits, cover for more situations like collision while in the water and also cover for medical payments as necessary.
Is Boat Insurance a Requirement?
Some states require you to get a quote for liability coverage for boats. Check with any of our courteous North Central Insurance agents to know if boat insurance is needed in your state. Liability coverage can assist paying for damage to other people’s boats, dock or property. Aside from that, the medical coverage you get can also help cover payments for injuries but this is usually not a strict requirement. Regardless if it is needed or not in your state, you will discover that a lot of marinas especially the most prestigious ones will require you to get a boat insurance coverage before you are allowed to dock your boat with them. Moreover, should you want to take a loan out on your boat, the lender may require you to have boat insurance before they sign off on your loan.
I have a homeowners Policy, is this enough?
While a homeowner’s policy can help provide coverage, a separate personal quote for boat insurance policy can provide you with higher limits and more coverage types. For example, physical damage may limit the amount of cover you get under a typical homeowners policy, depending on the horsepower and the size of your vessel. Many carriers provide only a $2,000 limit for physical damage and we all know boats cost more than two thousand bucks which is why you really need a separate personal boat insurance policy to offer more coverage. This is a smart investment choice for you. With regards to liability coverage, this also depends on the insurance carrier. Many homeowner’s policies do not automatically provide liability coverage for boats.
What Kind of Boat Insurance do I need?
Similar to other kinds of insurance policies, boat insurance may be designed or customized depending on your needs and budget. Factors that come together to determine the insurance policy you need are: type, age, size and value of your boat and also where the boat is used as well may determine what coverage is best.
There are two basic types of boat insurance you need to get a quote on namely: agreed value and actual cash value. What sets the two apart is how depreciation is handled.
Agreed Value Policy – In this type of boat insurance, the protection cover is based on the value of the boat when the policy was written. While it can be costly upfront, there is no depreciation for a total loss of the boat.
Actual Cash Value Policy – This type of boat insurance is much cheaper upfront but it does factor in depreciation. Simply put, the policy will pay up to the actual cash value of the boat at the moment that it is declared a total or partial loss. If you are on a budget and own an older boat, this policy is much more recommended as it can give you a lot of savings.
As a rule, most boat insurance are designed to protect against:
- Physical injuries sustained by you or someone else, resulting from the boat
- Property damage including theft and vandalism to your vessel
- Property damage caused by your boat. For instance, damaging another boat or if your boat was involved in an accident
At North Central Insurance, our experienced and knowledgeable agents can assist you to select a variety of coverage to offer protection to you, your boat and your passengers including damage to permanently attached boating equipment. We will help you understand fully your options so you will be able to protect your investment fully.
How and where your boat plays a key role in the type of boat insurance policy you need. An all risk policy can provide good protection. However, you need to know too that an all risk policy might not cover every type of loss. In insurance lingo, an all-risk policy means that any risk not specifically omitted in the policy is covered. Normal exclusions include wear and tear, denting, marring, damage from animals, defects from the manufacturer, design defects, damage from ice or freezing. Since boat insurance is completely customizable depending on how far you want protection, you can add additional coverage such as cover for medical payments, personal effects, uninsured boaters liability as well as towing and assistance. At North Central Insurance, we cover permanently attached equipment as well as anchors, oars, life jackets, seat cushions and even trolling motors. Let us discuss with you your options so that you can decide on what is best for you.
At North Central Insurance we can quote you additional cover such as:
Specialized Coverage – This policy can provide protection for something specific on your boat such as an expensive prop or your top-of-the-line navigation equipment.
Salvage Coverage – This coverage pays to have your boat removed due to damage regardless if it is minor or substantial.
Consequential Damage Coverage – This cover provides protection from wear and tear rather than an accident.
Towing Coverage – as the name suggests the cover can pay for towing your boat safely across water. Without this you are looking to pay at least $400 per hour.
Cruising Extension Coverage – this is temporary, additional coverage if you plan to sail or cruise outside the US like in Mexico or the Bahamas.
Jet Ski Insurance
There is nothing like the feeling of riding your jet ski or personal watercraft across the water. The excitement, the thrill, the experience is totally awesome. Protect yourself and your investment by getting adequate personal watercraft insurance coverage. The insurance is also known as personal watercraft insurance and depending on the type of insurance quote you get, the insurance policy can provide you and your investment with protection should it become damaged, stolen or destroyed. The insurance policy can also assist you against liability claims in the event that the pwc causes damage to other people or their property.
You will find that the exact levels of insurance cover you can get varies but here are the most common types of protection for this personal watercraft (pwc) insurance quote:
Liability Coverage Only – This insurance policy quote is designed to provide protection for damage to someone else’s property or if you caused physical injury to someone as a result of using the personal watercraft.
Comprehensive Insurance Coverage – This is a more complete insurance coverage quote that offers protection to damage to someone else or their property caused by your jet ski or damage because of theft, fire, and accidents and in some instances, even coverage for natural disasters.
Here is a more detailed look of what you can get from a personal comprehensive pwc insurance coverage offers:
- Accidental damage because of vandalism, flood, storm and other accidents
- Theft or attempted theft of the pwc
- Accidental damage as a result of collision with an uninsured boat, or aqua scooter where the party at fault does not own an insurance policy
- Insurance cover for injuries to you or your passenger caused by an accident with an uninsured boat, pwc or aqua scooter and includes medical payments
- Third party damage to another boat or vessel
- Optional insurance coverages as well for your jet ski trailer should you prefer it
Specialized jet ski insurance coverages get you more options and extras for your jet ski such as:
- Protection for personal contents and belongings stored in the jet ski or pwc
- Insurance coverages for total loss replacement designed to replace your jet ski or pwc with a new one of similar make and quality
- cost of emergency towing
- 24-hour assistance for your pwc
- Cover for wreckage removal costs after collision or accident
- Lay-up – the insurance premium may be reduced at times when your jet ski or pwc is kept in storage and left unused for a certain period. Keep in mind also that level of cover may also be reduced during this time
- Environmental cleanup after collision or accident in case of oil leak
- Added insurance cover for jet ski trailer
Cost of Jet Ski Insurance
You will find that the cost of your jet ski insurance quote depends on a lot of factors and premiums may also vary whether you get basic, comprehensive or specialized coverage including the current market value of your jet ski. Here you will find some of the most important factors that affect your jet ski insurance:
- Make, Model and Year of the Jet Ski
- Engine type, horsepower and max operating speed
- Whether you use it for private, commercial for racing or a combination
- Mods to your jet ski
- Storage whether it is in an enclosed boathouse, moored or in a simple shed
- GPS, security alarm and other security features
- Your driving record
- Where the jet ski is used (salt versus fresh water)
For all your jet ski insurance policy needs let North Central Insurance provide you with the most complete coverage designed for your needs and budget.
Watercraft Insurance
When it comes to the water, safety is of the utmost importance and popular waterways are where you find the most number of watercraft. Watercraft enthusiasts know that preparation is crucial to staying safe on the water. However, this is not enough as there is no way to predict the unforeseen. Even with the best safety records and practice, accidents can and still happen. The best way to ensure the safety of yourself, your watercraft and that of others is to have the right watercraft insurance to add a layer of protection.
At North Central Insurance we can offer you the most complete and comprehensive watercraft insurance policy so you can have peace of mind and enjoy your time in the water with others.
Our watercraft insurance policy can cover for:
- Physical bodily injury
- Damage to Property
- Medical Payments to treat injuries
Need for Watercraft Insurance
If you own one or several watercraft, each one needs to be insured, but may not require its own policy as there are some boat insurance policies that are designed to cover personal watercraft too
Our Policies Cover the Most Important Aspects
Most personal watercraft insurance polices provide cover whether you are the one operating the watercraft yourself or if someone else was using it. While facts and circumstance vary with each case, each one requires evaluation to ensure the actions are covered under existing laws and policy agreements. At North Central Insurance we can craft your own personal watercraft insurance policy protection to cover:
- Damage to another craft or dock
- Bodily injury resulting to death of another person because of negligence
- Negligence of another driver while operating your watercraft
- Physical damage to the hull, machinery and equipment
- Injury caused by a watercraft driver that has no insurance
Fishing Boat Insurance
Fishing is a wonderful pastime and an occupation for some as well. Regardless if you do it for pleasure or business it is vital that your boat has the right fishing boat insurance coverage to provide protection for you and your vessel while you are at sea.
At North Central Insurance we provide fishing boat insurance coverage for damages and losses as a result of the following:
- Total loss of the fishing boat or repairs associated with damage to equipment, machinery or vessel hull
- At sea perils like collision or stranding as a result of bad weather and includes cost for salvaging the vessel
- Protection against captain or crew negligence
- Liability coverage for damage to other boats because of collision
Our fishing boat insurance provides a minimum sum for protection and indemnity that offers valuable liability coverage for the ff:
- Illness, injury or death as a result of fishing boat operation
- Property damage or loss of people not on board the vessel
- Removal of wreckage
- Investigation and defense expenses associated with claims and lawsuits
Additional fishing boat insurance coverage may be provided to include:
- Skiffs and tenders
- Nets and gear
- Trailer
- Catch
- Enhanced loss of fishing time
- Commercial General Liability
The goal of North Central Insurance is to provide a fishing boat insurance policy that caters to the specific needs of the fishing community. We want to help you to face the challenges of your occupation. Call us today so we can help design a fishing boat insurance policy for you.
NORTH CENTRAL INSURANCE
As a full service insurance agency, we stand for you, our valued customers in your time of need. We have the freedom to find the best possible value and coverage designed especially for you from among the many quality carriers we represent. We can show you how to protect your home and your family.