Boat Insurance in Escanaba and Powers, MI
In Michigan, summer can only mean one thing – boating! However, while a leisure activity, hitting the water is not without associated risks. At Garceau Insurance Agency, we understand the exposures facing those who own a boat, and are dedicated to keeping them protected with customized insurance coverage.
From sailboats and yachts to jet skis and runabouts, we routinely insure a variety of boats in Escanaba, Powers, and the surrounding areas.
Garceau Insurance Agency is Escanaba’s trusted source of boat insurance benefits, and its our expertise and commitment to detail that will ensure you get the perfect coverage solutions for your needs. We aren’t a large insurance company, and we don’t believe in intimidating our clients. Instead, we will build a partnership with you that will ensure that your policy remains the best fit for you, now and in the future.
To receive a tailored boat insurance policy, call us at 906-789-0900 or request your free quote now!
Anyone who is thinking of buying a boat needs to recognize both the value and liability associated with this unique vehicle. Operating a boat, though much different from driving a car, still exposes you to many risks that vehicle operators of any kind might face. Having the correct boat insurance benefits will ensure that you have the financial backing available to help you out of tricky situations that might arise.
Standalone Boat Insurance Quotes in Escanaba, MI
Many boaters believe that their homeowners’ policy will provide coverage for their boat. While there are some very basic coverages that extend to a watercraft, such as liability, these coverages are limited to boats with a certain horsepower. Actual damage to your watercraft is often excluded from being claimed on a homeowners’ policy. The best way to cover your watercraft is with a boat insurance policy, which one of our agents will happily quote for you.
Levels of coverages offered at Garceau Insurance Agency include replacement watercraft, agreed value and guaranteed value policies. Additional coverage is also available for fishing equipment, trolling motors, radios, cameras, cell phones, life jackets, ropes, buoys, medical payments for skiers, and more.
Insurance for Outboard Motors, Fishing Equipment, and More
We work with trusted carriers that offer specific coverages and discounts especially beneficial for boat owners. Our goal is to educate our clients, so we encourage boat owners to use their insurance policies in the most efficient way. For example, one common misconception is that it’s good practice to cancel boat insurance policies during the winter months. We advise our clients against leaving themselves unprotected in this way.
To make maintaining protection easier and more affordable for clients, we’ve chosen to work with carriers that offer incentives for keeping your policy active all year, such as renewal or longevity discounts, disappearing deductibles, deductible waivers, and other added coverages.
Why a Boat Insurance Policy Lends More Protection
Garceau Insurance Agency agents get to know you and how you use your boat to create a policy that fits your needs perfectly. One question we always ask is where you moor your boat during season and where it’s stored during off-season. If they’re separate locations, we review the benefits of a standalone boat insurance policy, which generally provides broader coverage that is not limited by the boat’s location.
We also like to ask the primary usage of the boat (fishing, skiing, residence, vacation, etc.), where it is primarily used, and if it is trailered to other lakes, towns, counties or states. We also help you protect your content by learning about the types of items that are kept on the boat, like ropes, life jackets, fishing equipment, extra motors, and more. All these facts help us create a policy that covers every aspect of your boating experience.
Common Boat Insurance Questions
Why Do I Need Boat Insurance?
A boat is a vehicle like any automobile, despite their vast differences. As a result, boaters encounter many operating liabilities that are similar to those faced by drivers, such as collision risks. There are even laws that institute speed limits, navigational rules and bans on drinking while operating a vessel. It’s as critical to be as safe boater as it is to be a safe driver, and having insurance helps you gain that security.
Boat insurance will help you cover costs arising from unexpected, unavoidable problems involving your vessel. By being able to come to your aid in such situations, your policy will enable you to recover from these challenges without facing a significant personal financial blow.
What Does Boat Insurance Cover?
A standard boat insurance policy can include a variety of types of coverage, such as:
- Physical Damage Insurance: Covers the boat and its attached fittings and fixtures from fire, theft, vandalism, wind, hail and collision, along with certain other unpreventable damage.
- Medical Payments Insurance: This covers medical expenses for the policyholder and their passengers after an accident involving injuries.
- Liability Insurance: When the boater is at fault for an accident, this coverage will apply to bodily injury and property damage the boater may cause a third party (I.e. another boater or vessel).
- Guest Passenger Liability Insurance: This covers third-party expenses if you allow someone else to use your vessel, and they then cause an accident.
Your plan can also contain a host of other benefits like:
- Salvage Coverage
- Pollution Liability Insurance
- Tow Trailer Coverage
- Agreed Value Insurance
- Personal Effects Coverage
- Fishing Equipment Coverage
How Much Boat Insurance Do I Need?
Every vessel is unique, and we understand that you will have personal prerogatives when putting together your boat insurance policy. When thinking about the coverage that is best for you, ask yourself:
- How much would it cost to buy a new boat if mine is totaled?
- What activities will I be doing on my boat?
- Will I need to insure people on the boat if they get injured in an accident?
- If I get sued because I was at fault for a wreck, how will I pay for the damage?
- How much money do I have in my budget to afford a boat insurance premium?
Of course, you can rely on
Garceau Insurance Agency to help you answer these questions, and to guide you through the process of selecting the policy that will both offer expansive coverage while remaining in line with your budget.
Is Boat Insurance Required?
States typically do not require boaters to purchase boat insurance. However, if you finance your boat when you buy it, then your lender might institute a requirement for you to buy physical damage coverage. Additionally, the expansive benefits provided by a full boat insurance policy are well worth the cost, particularly following severe boating accidents.
What Does Boat Insurance Cost?
Boat insurance rates may vary based on several factors, such as your:
- Credit score
- Claims/accident history
- Value of the boat
- Location
To review your boat insurance options with fellow boaters, request a quote or contact us today.
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