Boat & Watercraft Insurance
Secord Insurance can help make your time on the water relaxed and worry-free. We will find you comprehensive protection that protects you, your friends and family, your watercraft and your boating equipment. The average boat costs less than a dollar a day to insure. You’ll enjoy being on the water even more when you aren’t worried about your safety, the safety your passengers, or your investment with a boat insurance policy from Secord Insurance Agency in Seattle, WA.
Do you know what to look for in a Seattle watercraft insurance policy? Secord Insurance can help you determine the right amount of coverage to meet your specific needs. Just contact us today to get started.
Here are some items you’ll need to consider when shopping for Seattle boat insurance.
- Navigational Area
Know where you are covered in the water. Some insurance companies offer protection that covers you up to 75 miles from the U.S. coastline, into Canadian coastal or inland waters, and into the Pacific coastal waters of Mexico. In California, Florida and Oregon, coverage for additional areas can be purchased.
- Agreed Value Coverage
Watercraft depreciate just like cars. Actual cash value policies can make it difficult to replace a boat that has been stolen or destroyed. This means that if your boat is a total loss you will get the value you insured it for, minus any deductible.
- Liability
Like car insurance, personal liability coverage provides coverage to other boaters and boat owners in the event you are at-fault for an accident on the water. This coverage will pay to repair or replace the property of someone else as well as for their medical care, lost wages, and other costs incurred as a result of a boating accident for which you are at-fault.
- Medical Payments
Medical payments coverage will pay for the cost of needed care that is the result of a boating accident. This coverage is available from $500 to $10,000 and covers you, your passengers, and even your water skiers/tubers, regardless of who is at-fault.
- Physical Damage Coverage
Physical damage coverage pays for the cost to repair or replace your watercraft, its motor, any permanently attached equipment, and your trailer if it is stolen or damaged.
- Uninsured/Underinsured Watercraft Bodily Injury
Since boat insurance is not always mandatory, many boaters choose not to get insurance. If you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured boater and you are injured, this type of coverage pays for medical treatment, lost wages, and other costs associated with the accident.
- Fuel Spill Liability and Wreckage Removal
Should your boat sink or be seriously damaged, there is a chance that it could leak oil or fuel into the water. As the boat’s owner, you are required by law to have this cleaned up, which can be time consuming and expensive.
- Personal Effects
Your policy can provide coverage for many personal effects, including clothing, jewelry, cell phones, scuba/snorkeling and other sporting equipment, and fishing equipment. Limits vary by state, so check with us for what’s required in Washington. Personal effects coverage does not include jewelry, watches or furs.
- Unattached Equipment Coverage
This pays to repair or replace equipment that isn’t permanently attached to your boat or personal watercraft, but is designed for use primarily on a boat. This includes items like lifesaving equipment, water skis, anchors, oars, fire extinguishers, tarps, etc.
- Emergency Assistance
The Emergency Assistance Package provides coverage for towing, labor and delivery of gas, oil or loaned battery if the watercraft is disabled while on the water.
Every need is unique – contact us today to find out how to get the best Washington boat insurance coverage for you.
5 Most Common Boating Claims & Insurance to Cover Them
Ah, boating. Whether you enjoy taking your boat out for a ride, waterskiing or fishing, boats bring joy and relaxation. Like any vehicle, there comes risks with operating a boat and understanding your insurance coverage is crucial. While having a conversation with your local insurance agent can clarify any of your questions, we’ll share the five most common boating claims and the insurance that can cover it.
But first, you may want to know what some boat insurance coverages are. Coverages may include collision, property damage, liability, towing and assistance and comprehensive coverage. If you have a small watercraft, talk to your agent to see if your home insurance provides any coverage and if that makes sense for your situation.
Boat insurance cost varies for each individual such as your boat’s value, size, year, how you plan to use it and how much insurance coverage you want.
5 Common Boating Claims
1.) Injury – Need Bodily Injury Liability Coverage
Injuries on the water are common. If you caused somebody to get hurt in another boat or one of your passengers were injured, there are insurance coverage options. Bodily injury liability can cover medical bills, lost income, pain & suffering and legal expenses. Be sure you know how much you are covered for. Also, if you plan to use your boat for waterskiing or wakeboarding, talk to your agent about the specifics of your coverage for passengers if they were to get hurt while skiing.
How to lower your risk for a boating insurance injury:
- Take a boating safety class.
- Always have a life jacket for everyone on the boat. Be sure they fit the proper requirements.
- Be a defensive driver. Always be aware of your surroundings when driving your boat.
- Never drink and drive.
2.) Hitting an underwater object – Need Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
This potentially could cause major damage to your boat. Many boat claims come from hitting a rock or other submerged object you can’t see in the water.
How to lower your risk:
- If your boat has a depth sounder, always pay attention to it while driving.
- Follow the proper path for marked channels & be aware of water hazard markers.
3.) Theft or Vandalized– Need Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
Comprehensive coverage will cover if your boat is stolen. It may or may not cover the items inside your boat. Talk to your agent about the details of your insurance policy.
4.) Weather Damage – Check with Your Local Agent
Depending on where you plan to boat, there are always chances of a wind storm, lightning or hurricane. Speak with your agent to know if your boat is covered from any storm damage, as well as flood damage.
5.) Accident with another boat or object– Need Collision Coverage
This may be covered with your standard boat insurance policy. Talk with your local insurance agent to go over specific scenarios where coverage may vary.
Many additional boat insurance options exist. We have policies that will cover your personal items while on the water such as fishing equipment and wakeboards. Want to be sure you get the right boat insurance policy? Call our licensed agents at Secord Insurance Agency. We’ll find ways to save you money & help explain your insurance coverage so you know exactly what you are covered for.
Frequently Asked Questions about Boat Insurance
What is the average boat insurance cost?
Never guess what an insurance policy might cost. The average cost to insure a boat depends on the type of boat you want to insure and how much coverage you need. Additionally, your credit and loss history can factor into the price. The best way to get an accurate quote is to reach out to us for a quote. Quotes take just a few minutes and we can run you through several great companies.
Does boat insurance cover mechanical issues?
No, boat insurance will not cover mechanical issues such as a blown motor. However, if the mechanical issue is a result of a covered loss such as a collision with another boat then there likely would be coverage for the mechanical failure that resulted from the covered loss. *All coverage situations are subject to claims verification and no information here is suggesting coverage would exist.
Is boat insurance required?
Some states do not require boat insurance, but if you are operating a boat in open waters without it, you’re putting yourself at financial risk. If you have a loan on your boat or if you moored your boat in a marina, then the lienholder or marina may require you to carry insurance.
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Seattle, WA 98105
Text Us: 360-633-8138
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Seattle, WA 98105
PCF Insurance Services of the West LLC dba: Secord Insurance Agency
CA License #0L78680, WA License # 965148