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Boat and marine insurance.

Talk to us about everything that runs from the Inland Waterway to the Great Lakes.

An aluminum fishing boat tied to a wooden dock on a calm Northern Michigan lake, autumn color on the far shore

You love boats! We love boats! Talk to us about your pontoon that lives on a hoist all summer long, the personal watercraft that you zip around on, and the fishing boat that you named "The Walleye Warrior."

We're an independent insurance agency, so we can shop the same boat with several carriers, comparing coverage and rates to give you more flexibility and choice. Give us a call. We are happy to help.

What a boat policy can cover.

  • Hull and physical damage

    Damage to the boat itself, from a collision, a storm, a fire, or something you hit that was not on the chart.

  • Liability

    Liability coverage helps you if you become legally liable to pay after injuring someone or damaging someone's property (their boat, their dock, etc.).

  • Motor and trailer

    Outboards, inboards, and the trailer that gets the boat to the ramp. The trailer is a separate item on most policies.

  • Wreck removal

    Pulling a sunk or grounded boat out of the water. It is not optional if it happens, and it can be very costly.

  • Uninsured/underinsured boater (UB/UIB)

    Coverage that helps if you are hit by another boater who has no coverage or lesser limits. Boats are not required to carry liability the way cars are.

  • Gear and personal effects

    Rods, electronics, skis, tubes, and the like. If you keep it onboard, talk to us about covering it before something goes wrong.

All subject to the coverage and limits on the policy.

What that means on this water.

The Inland Waterway runs 38 miles from Crooked Lake through the Crooked River, Burt Lake, the Indian River, Mullett Lake and the Cheboygan River before it reaches Lake Huron. It is the longest chain of lakes and rivers in Michigan, and a lot of the boats we write never leave it.

Others do. If you lock through at Cheboygan and run out into Lake Huron, or trailer over to Little Traverse Bay, you are on very different water, and some policies draw a navigation boundary you never noticed until a claim. There are underwriting questions that address this subject during the initial application phase. However, if your boating habits change during the course of your policy, contact us so that we can help you navigate through these choppy waters before there is a claim.

Worth raising before you buy.

Agreed value or actual cash value

Agreed value on a covered total loss settles at a number you and the carrier set in advance. Actual cash value subtracts depreciation at claim time. On an older boat the difference can be most of the boat.

Where you are allowed to run

Navigational limits vary by carrier. Great Lakes use, and how far out, is a real underwriting question and not an afterthought.

What the homeowners policy does not do

A homeowners policy may extend to a very small boat and a small motor. Past that it stops, usually well below what is actually tied to the dock. Contact us and let's talk about it, and don't forget to schedule your docks and hoists along with your boat(s).

Boat & marine by town

Questions we get asked.

Is boat insurance required in Michigan?
Michigan does not require liability insurance on a private recreational boat the way it does on a car. Marinas, lenders and some associations do require it, and going without liability on busy waterways is a large risk to carry personally.
Does my homeowners policy already cover my boat?
It might cover a small boat with a small motor, and only up to a low limit. Anything with real horsepower, a pontoon, or a boat worth insuring on its own needs to be scheduled, or to have its own policy. Bring your homeowners declarations page and we'll help you work through your boat questions.
Do I still pay for coverage while the boat is stored for winter?
Most policies keep coverage in force year-round, because fire, theft and storm damage do not stop when the boat comes out of the water.
Can I insure the boat and the trailer together?
Usually, yes. The trailer is listed as its own item on the boat policy. Make sure it is actually listed, because a trailer that only has liability coverage while attached to the vehicle leaves gaps.

Related coverage

Need boat insurance?

We will shop it across our carriers, then call you back and talk it through. No obligation.

Request a quote Call 231-238-9882