PWC (Personal Wathercraft) insurance helps to insure you and your personal watercraft against accidents, vandalism, and liability.  Giving you peace of mind while your are enjoying your PWC

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division is charged with the important task of making boating safer for us all. Its many responsibilities include tracking boating accidents, looking for correlations among these incidents, recommending and implementing remedial measures, (such as recalls), and processing grants. The branches are:

*    Program Management & Operations Branch

*   Grants Management Branch

*    Recreational Boating Product Assurance Branch

Keeping and Inventory

You will want to photograph and document everything that you have from the boat itself down to your GPS or first aid kits. You need a complete list of everything that is on board, including the make and model number or other relevant details. If you have receipts, keep them with this list for safekeeping.

In the event you are a victim of theft or vandalism, you will then have a complete inventory to hand over immediately not only to your boat insurance agent, but also to the police. Make sure the original is in your safety deposit box or somewhere equally safe and have a copy tucked away on your boat for easy reference.

Engraving Your Boat’s Hull

A large problem with boat thieves is that they quickly sell stolen vessels, sometimes chopping them up and selling off the parts. Therefore you may want to make sure that your boat, trailer, and accessories or electronics are identifiable by engraving your boat’s hull identification number (HIN) or your name somewhere that is not very noticeable. This way, if it is stolen, you have a way to prove without a doubt that it is your property. Do not forget to record your HIN somewhere for safekeeping (like with your boat insurance policy).

One way to protect yourself from thieves and vandals is by keeping it secure.

When securing your boat, one of the best option is in covered storage, such as a locked garage, rented storage unit, or secure boat storage facility. If you have to store your boat outdoors, try to keep it out of sight or blocked by another vehicle so it does not look easy to steal.

Something as simple as a trailer hitch lock (or the kind of trailers that have a removable hitch) or removing one wheel from the trailer will deter would-be criminals. Make it difficult for someone to steal your boat by taking another security step like locking it to something with a secure lock and chain, installing a motion-activated floodlight, or installing a video surveillance camera. If your boat is stored outdoors you may also want to invest in a motor lock.

A few tips on how to fit your life jacket:

* You will want to check the manufacturer’s lavel to make sure that the life jacket is a proper fit for your size and weight.

* When tring it on make sure to properly fastened it.

* Make sure there is no excess room above the openings and that the jacket dose not ride up over your chin or face

Did you know that one help of all recreational boating fatalities happen in calm water? These fatalities occur close to shore and are caused by drowning. Saddly in most cases, life jackets where stowed on board, but not worn.  The US Coast Guard recommends that you wear not just carry a life jacket while boating.

Requirement for Recreational Vessels:

It is required that a wearable life jacket for each person must be aboard.  These life jackets must be as listed:

1. US Coast Guard Approved
2. The proper fitting size for the intended wearer
3. In good serviceable condition
4. Properly stowed and readily accessible

Note: When a vessel is underway with children under the age of 13, they must be wearing their life jacket unless they are below deck or in an enclosed cabin.

It is a good idea to check with your respective state boating authority regarding these requirement as some requirement may vary

US Coast Guard Approved vs Competition Vests

The difference between US Coast Guard approved (CGA) life jackets and competition vests is simple yet hugely important: CGA life jackets are guaranteed to keep you afloat, and comp vests are not.

CGA life jackets meet official standards for both buoyancy and impact protection, and in many states, a Type I, II, III or V life jacket is required for every passenger in your vessel.

As their name suggests, competition vests are designed for the controlled contest environment, and their sleek, low-profile design offers enhanced mobility but does not meet official flotation standards.

Each vest is cut differently, so it is a very good idea to visit your nearest watersports outfitter to try on multi­ple models. Your life jacket needs to be snug, a properly fitted jacket might feel a little uncomfortable in the store. Remember, most life jackets tend to loosen up by 10 to 15 percent when wet, so always err on the side of tight. After all, your brand-new life jacket will not do much good if it shifts up over your head on your first fall.

Also it is best suggested that you maintain boat insurance even during the winter months as a prior post point out. There may be some scenarios in which you are actually required to have an active insurance policy during the winter months. For instance, if you have financed your boat, your lender may require that you hold year-round coverage for it.

If you have not already, you may want to make sure you are maintaining your boat insurance coverage for your boat during the off season.  I know it may seem tempting to cancel your boat insurance policy in order to save a few dollars, when your boat is laid up for the winter season. It is important to understand that your boat may still face risks while it is in storage. Fire, vandalism and theft are not limited to the warmer months, they are risks that can happen all year-round.

According to 2015 statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, more than 2,700 watercraft thefts occurred in the off-season, between the months of January and April and September and December.

Therefore if you were to terminate your boat policy for the winter, and a theft or some other calamity,  were to happen, you could be responsible for paying for any repairs or damages yourself. Any money you save by cancelling the insurance now means an even greater financial burden to you.

Although many people may think that their homeowners insurance policy covers their personal watercraft, they typically do not. And when a homeowners insurance policy does offer coverage, it is usually limited to small boats like canoes and small sailboats or small power boats with less than 25-mph horsepower. The property coverage limits can be as low as $1,000, and liability coverage for a boat is typically not included at all under a standard homeowners policy.

That is why a separate boat insurance policy, with watercraft liability coverage, may make sense for you. After all, you have invested time and money into your boat, putting the right insurance in place may help protect you and your investment against the risks out on those busy waterways.

Many insurance plans can provide additional coverage’s (at an added cost) you may want to give some thought into buying. 

* Roadside Assistance: With Roadside Assistance, towing to the nearest qualified repair facility is provided at no additional cost when your tow vehicle or trailer is damaged or disabled. There is normally no out-of-pocket cost to you for this coverage.

* Fuel Spill Protection: Fuel spill protection help to cover you for unintentional oil or fuel spills that are your legal responsibility for.

* Wreckage Removal: Wreckage removal helps you with the cost to raise, remove and/or destroy the wreckage if your PWC sinks.

When shopping out your personal watercraft insurance ask about these additional coverage options.