SAFETY COURSES

Formal training or getting a certification in boating safety can help to lower the cost of your insurance.

DISCOUNT: SkiSafe offers a discount for completing a qualified safety course. Not only will this help lower insurance costs, but it is also a great way to learn some basic boating safety. Visit the U.S. Coast Guard site to find a course that is right for you.

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USE

If you are storing your boat for the winter, some insurance companies will lower costs if your boat is out of commission. Significant discounts should be available for this. Coverage should still be provided while the boat is in storage and while you are trailering it.

TIP: What happens if you get a warm weekend and want to hit the water? Just call your insurance agency and see if they can endorse your policy and offer you temporary coverage. 

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HORSEPOWER

Faster cars are viewed as a bigger risk in the automobile insurance world, and the same goes for boating insurance. Faster engines with a higher horsepower potential will have a higher insurance premium.

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TYPE

Different types of boats require different insurance needs. Ski boats differ from sail boats which differ from fishing boats and so on and so forth. Your insurance premium will reflect what type of boat you have.

TIP: A traditional insurance company may underwrite a tournament ski boat as a high-performance boat because they lump it together with other 20-foot boats that have engines putting out close to 400 horsepower. They do this even though you know your new ski boat is anything but a speed boat. Similarly, other carriers look at your pontoon boat and don’t see a relaxing afternoon on the lake. They see an unstable “party boat.” A carrier that specializes in boat insurance, like SkiSafe, will truly understand your boat type and its use.