With lakes covering the landscape of Wisconsin, there are countless ways boatowners can maximize their watercraft in the Badger State. Whether you enjoy fishing from your bass boat, entertaining on your pontoon, or making waves on your ski boat, make sure to protect yourself, your passengers, and your watercraft against the potential for damages, injuries, and loss.
Insurance for A Broad Range of Vessels
At Couri Insurance, we can help you find coverage for most types of watercraft, including:
- Ski boats
- Wake boats
- Sailboats
- Catamarans
- Deck boats
- Bowriders
- Pontoons
- Fishing boats
- Personal watercraft
- And more
Ownership and use of any types of watercraft is subject to risks. Not only could you lose the money you invested in your boat and potentially become injured in an accident, but you could also face liability expenses if you are responsible for a boating accident that causes third-party injuries or property damages. It is not just the risk of collision, keeling, or sinking you need protection against, either. There are many boat-related hazards on land, too, from damage that occurs during transit to theft or vandalism of your vessel while it is stored for winter. Having the right boat insurance coverage helps you pay for losses and liabilities, potentially saving you tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs.
Types of Wisconsin Boatowners Insurance Coverage
Several insurance companies offer boatowners coverage in Wisconsin. At Couri Insurance, we help you sift through your options to find an insurer and policy with the solutions that meet your needs. Your boat insurance policy may include coverage for:
Physical Damages
Physical damages coverage reimburses policy-holders for damage or loss of a boat due to a covered event. This can include protection against collisions, running aground, and capsizing, as well as incidents occurring on land, such as theft, vandalism, and fire.
Liability
Boat owners need liability insurance to cover legal fees and judgments when sued for third-party injuries and property damages. Boater’s liability coverage may also cover other types of financial responsibility, such as for cleanup when harmful pollutants are released into the water after an accident. Without liability protection, you may have to pay these costs from your income and assets, which could affect your financial security both now and in the future. Likewise, if coverage limits are too low, you may be responsible for paying any excess damages out of your pocket. An independent agent here at Couri Insurance can help you determine how much liability coverage you need to better protect your household against loss.
Uninsured Watercraft
If an uninsured boater injures you, it could take many months or years to obtain compensation through the legal system – if you can obtain any compensation at all. With uninsured boater insurance, you can protect yourself and your passengers against financial losses when you are injured due to an accident caused by a third party.
Medical Payments
If you or your passengers are injured in a boat accident – regardless of who is at fault – you need immediate access to necessary medical care. With medical payments coverage, insurance can provide limited compensation for medical costs with no need to establish fault. Though it does not absolve an at-fault party of liability, it can help cover upfront expenses, such as deductibles and doctor office copays.
Special Equipment
Whether you use your boat for fishing, skiing, or cruising, chances are you carry special equipment with you onboard during each outing. If your boat sinks, your equipment is going down with it, adding to the sum of your losses. With special equipment coverage, your boat insurance can help reimburse you for the loss of your fishing gear, wakeboards, skis, and more.
Trailer Coverage
If you have a boat, chances are you also have a trailer to transport that boat when it is not on the water. Talk to your agent about insurance that could save you thousands of dollars against the cost to replace your trailer after a covered event.
Towing and Emergencies
When you leave the dock, you expect to return without any complications. When the unexpected happens, however, you could need emergency assistance to return safely to shore. From fuel delivery to on-the-water towing, talk to your agent about coverage that can protect you when you experience mechanical failures and more.
Wreckage Removal
If your boat finds a new home on the bottom of a lake, you may be responsible for its retrieval. Wreckage removal coverage can help pay for the cost of raising your watercraft if it sinks.
Selecting Your Boat Insurance Coverage Amounts
When you purchase boat insurance, you and your agent will work together to determine how much coverage you will need. Some types of coverage, such as your physical damages coverage, is likely determined by the value of your watercraft. Others, such as your liability coverage, are not as straightforward, as there are different benefit levels and needs for each boater. Since insurance is meant to protect you (not leave you exposed to risk), we here at Couri Insurance work carefully to assess your potential coverage needs and make recommendations based on your individual risk profile.
We consider many different factors, including:
- The type of boat you own
- The value of your watercraft
- Where you boat the most
- How often you take your boat on the water
- Where you store your boat
- How you use your boat (i.e., fishing, skiing)
- Your income and assets
- And more
Request Your Free Quote
If you own a boat in Wisconsin, we want to help you insure it. Contact our office to find out more about your coverage options and how an independent insurance agent can help you save. Call us today to request your free quotes. We look forward to serving you soon.
