The decision to buy a boat, a sailboat, a speedboat… opens an exciting chapter in everyone’s life. Regardless of whether the decision is family or individual, the beauty of spending time on the water cannot be compared with anything.
If you live near a river, lake or sea, you will have the opportunity to be a captain, a sailor, a “deck boy” for most of the year – all that is on board. You will enjoy the landscapes you pass by, observe the change of seasons and nature in all its beauty. You will see how the color of the water changes in different seasons. You will experience calm water, smooth as glass, at the end of the day, and sometimes a stormy voyage with wind and rain. Someone will, in addition to sailing peacefully, learn to fish, dive, ski …, and thus expand their interests and skills on the water.
However, you must keep in mind that owning a boat (of any type, size and quality) is equal to all types of property. House, apartment, car, cottage, boat… it all falls into values that require maintenance, care, attention and insurance.
Here are some useful and important recommendations on how to insure your vessel in the best possible way, and avoid inadequate and useless offers:
1. Avoid all in one insurance
Most insurance companies, in order to gain as many clients as possible, design and offer general insurance packages. They concern all assets and the vast majority of values are included in them. When it comes to boats, this type of offer should be avoided. It is a specific thing and needs specialized insurance, which includes various situations atypical for other types of property. By choosing this type of insurance, you will save money in case of unwanted situations, which can always happen, regardless of your attention and organization. So it is recommended to work with boat insurers who are experts in this field and you should read more about their offer.
2. Pay attention to all items of the insurance policy
Sometimes it happens that the policy is well designed and contains all the situations that can happen to the boat, regardless of whether the sailing season is in progress or not. However, there are pitfalls that you need to pay attention to. Some insurance companies do not cover the time, during the winter, when the boat is in a marina or shelter. Although it seems to be safe then and nothing can happen to him, the cases in practice prove otherwise. During storms, the boat can untie, it can be hit by a concrete pier, thrown by a strong wind, someone can damage it while parking your boat, a fire can break out… These are real situations, although no one wants them and hopes they will not reach them come. Precisely for the reason of a potential accident, it is important that there is a member in your policy that directly relates to the period of the year when the boat is at rest in the port or warehouse.
3. The insurance does not include additional equipment
Your boat is not just a wooden or plastic shell. It consists of many things: motor, sails, oars, radio, mooring sonar, fish, ropes, life-saving equipment, furniture (if there is a cabin), fishing equipment, water skis, diving… Many valuable and important things are here finds. And you need to make sure that the policy includes all these accessories. You never know what may happen to you while sailing, so make sure you have everything you need to be able to cope in every situation, in the best possible way. Also, equipment for water and underwater sports is expensive and should not be neglected. Be sure to take the policy, although it is more expensive, which will guarantee that you will be reimbursed for anything that may be damaged by accessories. When everything is added up, in the end it always turns out to be cheaper and more useful, especially if your equipment is sophisticated and of a higher rank.
4. Do not cancel the insurance out of season
Many people, in order to save money, cancel their insurance during the period of the year when they are not sailing. It is not recommended to do that, because there is no guarantee that the boat will welcome you safely and peacefully for the new season. It may seem to you that it is protected and safe, but there are so many situations that prove otherwise, it is much smarter to keep insurance throughout the year. Owning a boat is similar to owning a car. You can be a careful and responsible driver, with good reflexes and enviable experience. But, regardless of that, there is no guarantee that you will not be hit by someone careless or inexperienced, while driving or in the parking lot. The same goes for the boat. When it is not under your supervision, there is also a chance that someone will damage it. That’s why it’s good to have insurance all year round.
5. Do not take the cheapest policy
We all have costs and expenses of all kinds, which reduce our household budget. A boat and its insurance can sound like a luxury. However, if you have made a financial construction and realized that you can afford something like that, then do not save on insurance policies. While the cheaper option may seem tempting, which seems to offer enough, still think of a situation where you would have to charge damages. Then a larger amount of money would come in handy, which would be paid to you and with which you could repair the boat in detail, buy new equipment or even a new boat. So be well informed about everything that is offered to you regarding insurance, feel free to seek advice from someone professional or experienced. Look at things in the context of possible, future events, align your budget with that and choose an adequate insurance policy.
Conclusion:
Activities related to boating are subject to nautical laws. It is not possible to just buy a boat and drive it. It is necessary to pass an exam (similar to driving), which includes navigating in river or sea traffic, signaling, driving a boat, depending on its category. Only when you train for water traffic, get a permit, register your boat, insure it… then the most beautiful thing happens. With good fun and raising your general condition and vitality, you will gain unforgettable memories, which will make you come back to the water again and again.
