Boat/Watercraft Insurance

Boat and Watercraft Coverage from DMV Insurance Agency Inc. and Maryland Laws

In Maryland, there is no law requiring you to purchase insurance for your boat or personal watercraft. However, the only way to protect your favorite boat or watercraft is to buy insurance.

Maryland does not require a license to operate a boat or watercraft. Instead of a license, Maryland requires a boater education certificate, by passing an online course. A certificate is required if you were born after July 1, 1972 and will be operating a boat or PWC in Maryland. State residence is not required.

The requirement of a certificate is enforced by Maryland enforcement officers who patrol the waterways.

Maryland does require that your boat or watercraft be registered. Evidence of registration can be proven by the owner by having a documented use decal on the vessel. The absence of the decal will cause the owner to be liable for a vessel excise tax and interest.

The amount of boat insurance needed depends on the type of boat, its age, and its motor size. The price of liability insurance is based on all factors including personal injuries and related costs.

Boat insurance typically covers:

• Comprehensive: This involves any type of incident with the boat that is not related to a collision including whether the boat is damaged by natural causes, such as a fallen tree, stolen, or vandalized.
• Collision damage: Includes boat repair or replacement including optional coverage such as to remove boat wreckage.
• Personal Property and Bodily injury liability: Covers an individual who has permission to use your boat, medical bills, pain and suffering, lost income, damage to a dock and other structures or property such as if your boat causes damage to someone else's boat.
• Any additional coverage such as accidents that are caused by either the underinsured or uninsured, any loss of personal property such as fishing gear, and any oil spills. The compensation is limited by the replacement value, or actual cash value, deductibles, and policy limits.

Contact the agents of the DMV Insurance Agency Inc. for boat/watercraft insurance. We can help you get a quote and answer any questions you may have.