Four Boating Repair Issues That May Not Be Covered By Insurance
A boat can be expensive—but there are few recreational activities quite like it. Responsible boat owners have insurance to protect themselves from potential injury and damage, but owners may also want to keep some money saved on the side. There are some repair issues that may not be covered by insurance—and these issues are going to be paid out of pocket.
Boating During a Lay Up Period
In many areas, there is a pre-determined lay up period; a period where a boat is considered to be in storage. In areas with year round boating, this may not become an issue. In areas where there's a particularly narrow band, a boater may not even be aware that they're boating outside of their lay up. Any damages that occur outside of their boating season will not be covered by insurance, even if they were only a few days off.
Accidents While Transporting
What happens if your boat is damaged when you're transporting it? If your boat has to be repaired following a traffic accident, your boat actually isn't going to be covered under your boating insurance. Instead, it's going to be covered by your auto policy. If your auto policy is particularly lean—collision and not comprehensive—you could find yourself running into issues. You are also going to have to obey things such as your auto insurance deductible rather than your boat policy's deductible.
Boating Repairs Out of Zone
Just as there are limits to when you can boat, there can also be limits to where you can boat. If you boat outside of this range, any damages that occur aren't going to be covered by your insurance policy. Having a fairly limited boating zone can often reduce the cost of your policy, but it is going to have consequences regarding where you are allowed to sail.
Repairs Caused by Negligence
Standard negligence is usually covered by insurance. If you knock over a candle and burn something on your boat, the repairs will be covered; it was an accident. But if the negligence had gross and foreseeable consequences, then it's not likely to be covered—these are intentional acts, like trying to start a fire on your boat.
The best thing to do when you have questions about your boating repairs is to call your insurance company first. Even if you have a repair that you don't think is covered, your insurance agent may be able to give you some good news.
