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What does boat insurance cover?

Are you the proud owner of a pleasure boat? As a yachtsman, you have responsibilities, particularly in terms of safety during your outings at sea or in river waters. To protect your passengers and yourself, you have to think of everything. Boat insurance is, therefore, a must, even if it is not compulsory. Learn more about the guarantees offered to boaters and the most suitable insurance depending on the boat you own.

Boat insurance: what is it for?

In everyday life, many hazards can arise, and life on a boat is no exception. No one is immune to setbacks. Find out why it is important to have good boating insurance.

Boat insurance: what does it cover?

Boating insurance is the one that ensures all motor and sailing boats. To name only the main ones, this includes:

  • The boat ;
  • The yacht;
  • The bowrider or open bow boat;
  • The semi-rigid hull boat;
  • The center console;
  • Star ;
  • The fishing boat;
  • The jet ski;
  • etc

Multi-risk boating insurance can protect your equipment, your passengers, and yourself. It includes civil liability insurance. This guarantee is very useful in the event of bodily injury or material damage caused to third parties. You can be satisfied with this only option, but other guarantees may interest you. Depending on the boat, spare parts or repairs can be expensive. In this case, you may opt for additional coverage. More solid insurance including engine damage can be interesting.

For a small fee, you sometimes have access to additional services such as assistance on land and at sea, damage and vandalism insurance, rescue assistance, land insurance, legal protection, total loss, search at sea, etc.

To make your choice, take into account your navigation habits, the frequency of your outings, the place where you dock the boat. The type of boat also has an impact on the choice of your insurance.

Boating insurance: why have one? 

Unless you are sailing on a private lake, you will necessarily need an insurance certificate to take your boat out to sea or in river waters. Indeed, this document is mandatory to moor your boat in one of the places provided for this purpose on the territory. And even if you store your boat on private property, it is safer to insure it. In the absence of boat insurance, you will not be covered in the event of theft, partial or total destruction following a fire, or another incident in your home.

Only insurance adapted to the type of boat you own can adequately protect you in the event of a claim. Given the investment that a boat represents, the calculation is quick. The cost of insurance is quickly amortized in the event of a problem, even for a simple breakdown. Assistance at sea or in river waters is expensive if you use this type of service yourself.

Namely: only owners who use a boat for leisure purposes can do without insurance in the eyes of the law.

Boating insurance: procedures and prices

You now know the criteria to consider when choosing your insurance. Discover now the steps to be taken and the rates for pleasure boat insurance.

Formalities for taking out insurance

To take out insurance for a boat, whatever its type, you must meet two conditions:

  • Be the owner of the boat you are ensuring;
  • Hold the appropriate navigation license.

In addition, before signing your contract, you must provide several documents:

  • The pleasure boat traffic card: this title is the equivalent of the gray card for cars. It also contains the same type of information, namely, the type of boat, its power, its weight, its size, etc.
  • A copy of your license.
  • The boat’s title deed.
  • The act of francization.
  • Its maintenance book: invoices, accident report, if applicable.

Depending on the insurance, other documents are sometimes required.

Boat insurance rates

The price varies according to the type of insurance. You have several choices at this level:

  • Third-party boat insurance: it covers civil liability, in other words, bodily or material damage caused to a third party. You are thus guaranteed to be covered in the event of an accident involving another pleasure boat, but also a boater or a swimmer. Material property that may be damaged is also covered in this context.
  • All-risk boat insurance: in addition to civil liability, it includes legal protection, breakdown assistance, engine warranty, search at sea in the event of disappearance, total loss, and nautical safety. Ask for a boating insurance quote to learn more about it.
  • Optional guarantees: you have the freedom to add many other options, in particular insurance for specific uses, extensions, for example, for fishing equipment or another nautical activity. You will find in this category the guarantees relating to yachting: land travel, repatriation, etc.

Depending on your choices, prices vary from 12 euros to more than 50 euros per month. The type of boat, the use you make of it, the number of your outings influence the prices. The monthly amount of your insurance will depend on all these parameters.