Owning a boat means that you have the freedom to go out on the water whenever you want. As soon as you feel the urge, you can be out on the water enjoying the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. You may have been looking forward to owning a boat your whole life. You have always wanted to learn how to wake-board or waterski, now is your chance.

With all the excitement that comes with buying a boat, it is important to remember that it will likely be one of the biggest investments that you make (other than homes and cars) and should be properly insured.

Call our agents at Resource Insurance Group and we will help you determine what is needed for your boat so you can enjoy happy sailing for years to come. Here are some things to think about as you buy your new or used boat.

•   Don’t rely on your homeowner’s insurance to keep your boat afloat
•   Coverage for your boat while in transit
•   Coverage for the people on your boat
•   Storing your boat at home or at a marina

•   Discounts for your boat insurance

Don’t rely on your homeowner’s insurance to keep your boat afloat

Your new 20-foot boat is parked right alongside your house and she’s your pride and joy. Unfortunately, you don’t have the space to park her in the garage, so behind the house, behind the gate will have to do. You only bought her a couple of months ago, but you’ve already taken her out at least two dozen times. You make sure to take the gear out and the motor off every time you come back from fishing. But last night, it was late and raining sideways and you were glad that you and the boat had made it out of the water and home safe and sound. You decided you’d clean her up later on...after work the following day.

So, you arrive home from work and wander outside to wash the salt off the motor...but something feels funny. You open the latched gate to your backyard and there’s your boat but…no motor! No kicker! No rods! No nets! No fish finder! Hmm...Maybe your wife took care of it and put it all in the garage? (Odd, she doesn’t normally get near the boat.)

But, no! Slowly it dawns on you. Somebody wandered into your backyard and stole your motor and your gear. You can’t believe it! Surely it’s insured, right? But...you never got boat insurance.

Now what?

Most homeowner’s insurance policies will only cover for boat loss in certain circumstances. It usually must happen at the home, so if there is any damage down while you are launching or on the water you probably won’t be covered.  There is also usually only limited coverage (about $1,000-$1,500) for damage. That isn’t going to pay for much if you have a serious accident.

Most importantly, you will likely have no liability protection for any damage that you incur to anyone or any property through negligent operation of your boat.

Boat insurance will cover any damage made to the oat in and out of the water as well as liability protection in case you are responsible for injury to swimmers, water skiers or other boaters or damage to another boat, a dock or the environment (due to fuel spillage).

Coverage for your boat while in transit

You’ve been searching the online boat ads for a while. It has become your biggest pastime during recent weeks. And earlier this morning you were restless at 5:00am, finally got up at 6:00 (on a Sunday), and checked online again...And there it was: a brand new listing from midnight. The perfect boat! The perfect price! Exactly what you were looking for. The ad said "Call anytime!" so you called, agreed to meet the seller at 8:00am, and you hit the road.

Now it’s 10:00 am and you’re on the road home with your new boat.

Suddenly, you hear a screech! You check the rear-view mirror – Darn! The boat looks lopsided. Crooked.

Something’s weird. You slow down and start merging over to the shoulder, but then it happens: You hear metal scraping on the pavement and you watch as the trailer comes loose, spins out into the next lane and comes to a halt. A semi-truck swerves to avoid impact but it's too late...both your boat and the semi are damaged in the collision.

Now what?   

While in transit, the liability protection on the auto insurance policy of the towing vehicle will extend to cover damage or injury to others that is done by your towed boat and/or trailer, if you are negligent. This is a good reason to check your auto liability limits to make sure that they are adequate.

Any of the damage incurred in this example would be covered by an Auburn Boat Insurance policy. It is important to call your agent immediately when you buy a boat to make sure you have a policy in force as soon as that boat comes into your possession. If you decide not to get boat insurance, give us all call anyway and we can adjust the liability coverage on your auto policy to include towing a trailer.

Give us a call and we can complete your application right over the phone.

Coverage for the people on your boat

It’s a Guys’ Weekend! You’ve agreed to take your friends out fishing in your new boat. You’re excited to show her off, if it wasn’t for your buddy Joe. Joe isn’t exactly known for his grace. In fact (and don’t tell him) he’s a bit of a klutz. If there is something to spill, he spills it. If there’s something to get hurt with, he hurts himself. If there’s someone to go overboard, Joe will be the one.

Unfortunately, Joe isn’t only a klutz; he’s also a dare-devil. He already mentioned that he borrowed some water-skiing gear, and will bring it along. He’s always wanted to try it out.

You swallow and let it be; hoping that just this once nobody will get hurt and nothing will break.

Saturday comes around and the guys are heading out. Sure enough, Joe wants to water-ski and you don’t want to spoil the fun so you tow him along. But you’ve never done this before and you need to find your groove as much as Joe needs to find his behind you.

Next thing you know, Joe hollers and goes under. You stop and turn around, and when you and your friends fish him out of the water, he’s broken his ankle due to your close encounter with a buoy.

Luckily, your boat insurance policy will provide liability protection and medical payment for the any passenger in your boat or behind it (unless you are participating in a competition).

Having a current boat insurance policy can give you the peace of mind that you need as you head out onto the water that you and all your family and friend will be protected in case of an accident. Give us a call today!

Storing your boat at a marina

Your lifetime dream has come true. You’ve bought a 26’ sailboat. Mooring your boat at a marina was always part of your dream. You love the community and the atmosphere. Plus, it’s a safe spot for your boat.

Because of the proximity of other boats and the potential for a loss on your boat to spread to other boats or the dock, most marinas are now requiring proof of at least $500,0000 liability protection before they’ll rent you mooring space.

Check with your marina for more information, and call your team at Resource Insurance Group for the hassle-free boat insurance you need in order to safely moor your boat there.

Discounts for your boat insurance

As you are searching for the right boat insurance policy for you, don’t forget all the discounts available through Resource Insurance Group.

There are a variety of ways to lower your boat insurance rates:

•   Make a good choice on the type of boat that you are going to buy. Choosing safety over performance will keep your rates lower.
•   Also, the value of the boat will make a difference. The higher the boat’s value, the higher the premium.
•   Many companies will offer a discount if you take and complete a boating safety course. This will help you make the right call in a critical situation.

•   Most companies also offer “new hull” discounts and “claim-free” discounts.

If you are looking to buy a new or used boat, or already have one, call us at Resource Insurance Group and we can help create a policy customized to your situation. We will look into every discount available and make sure that you get the best coverage for a great price.

Ahoy!