boats docked on a snowy shoreline illustrating boat insurance protection with McGriff-Williams Insurance

Florida Boat Insurance

From McGriff-Williams Insurance, an independent agency serving North Central and Northeast Florida.

Whether you fish the St. Johns or run offshore from St. Augustine, your boat is a big investment, and Florida waters come with Florida risks. Boat insurance protects you from the financial loss of owning or operating a boat or personal watercraft, covering damage to the boat itself and your liability if someone else is hurt or their property is damaged.

Does Florida Require Boat Insurance?

Florida has no general state law requiring recreational boat owners to carry boat insurance. That doesn’t mean you can go without it. Coverage is often required by marinas, yacht clubs and lenders, and a single accident can cost far more than the boat is worth.

Renting a boat? Florida boat rental companies (other than those renting human-powered vessels like kayaks) must carry liability insurance, and they must either cover you or offer you coverage. If you turn it down, you’ll sign a form saying so. Read it before you sign.

What Boat Insurance Can Cover

Limits and options vary by insurance company. A boat policy can include:

Physical damage (comprehensive and collision). Covers damage to your boat, motor and permanently attached equipment. Your trailer and portable equipment can usually be added, so make sure they’re listed.
Bodily injury and property damage liability. Pays for injuries and damage you cause to other people, docks and other boats, plus your legal defense, up to the limit you choose when you buy your boat policy.
Uninsured/underinsured boater coverage. Pays for your injuries when the boater at fault has no insurance or not enough.
Medical payments. Helps pay medical bills for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault.
Fuel spill and pollution liability. Pays for cleanup of fuel or oil spills that the law requires, such as under the federal Oil Pollution Act.
Wreck removal and salvage. Helps pay to raise, remove or destroy a sunken or wrecked boat, especially when the law requires it.
On-water towing. Help with towing, jump-starts, fuel delivery and soft ungroundings.
Trailer roadside assistance. Help when your trailer breaks down on the road. Mechanical breakdown coverage is also optional on some policies.
Personal effects. Items you carry on board that aren’t fishing gear or boating equipment, such as clothing, phones, cameras and scuba gear.
Fishing equipment. Rods, reels and tackle, as its own coverage.
Water sports liability. Injuries to people you tow, such as tubers and skiers. Airborne activities like parasailing are usually excluded.

Agreed Value, Actual Cash Value and Total Loss Replacement

How your policy pays on a total loss matters as much as what it covers.

Agreed value. You and the insurance company agree on the boat’s value when the policy starts. If the boat is totaled, the policy pays that amount minus your deductible, regardless of depreciation.
Actual cash value (ACV). Pays the boat’s market value at the time of the loss, which factors in age and condition. It usually costs less, but it pays less on older boats.
Total loss replacement. For new boats with their original owner. If the boat is totaled, the policy replaces it with a comparable new boat or pays the purchase price.

We’ll explain which options fit your boat and what each one would pay.

Hurricane Season and Your Boat

Florida’s hurricane exposure affects how boats are insured. Three things to know before June 1:

Know your named storm deductible. Many policies use a higher deductible for damage from a named tropical storm or hurricane. It’s often a percentage of the boat’s value or a multiple of your regular deductible. Look it up now, not after the storm.
Ask about hurricane haul-out. When a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning is issued for your area, some policies reimburse part of the cost of professionally hauling out your boat or moving it to a safe harbor.
Don’t wait until a storm is coming. Many insurance companies won’t start new coverage, or increase existing coverage, once a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning is issued for your area.

After Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminded owners that a boat left derelict must be removed or brought back into good condition within 45 days. That’s when wreck removal coverage matters.

Florida Boating Rules Worth Knowing

Title and registration. Motorized boats used on Florida waters must be titled and registered. Non-motorized boats under 16 feet don’t need either. Non-motorized canoes, kayaks, racing shells and rowing sculls 16 feet or longer must be titled but don’t need to be registered.
Boating safety education ID. If you were born on or after January 1, 1988, and you operate a boat with a motor of 10 horsepower or more, you must carry photo ID and an FWC Boating Safety Education ID Card (or an accepted alternative). The card is good for life.
The 2025 Boater Freedom Act. This law created the Florida Freedom Boater safety inspection decal, which has no separate fee. You sign a safety equipment statement when you register or renew, and the decal is good for five years. Ask your county tax collector about it. Officers still need probable cause to stop or board a boat, decal or not.
Long-term anchoring permit. Since January 1, 2026, a boat anchored in Florida waters for 14 or more days within any 30-day period needs a free electronic permit from FWC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is boat insurance required in Florida?

Not by state law for recreational boat owners. Marinas, yacht clubs and lenders often require it, and it protects you if you cause an accident.

What’s the difference between agreed value and actual cash value?

Agreed value pays a value set when the policy starts, without depreciation. Actual cash value pays what the boat is worth at the time of the loss, after age and condition are considered.

Can I buy coverage when a hurricane is on the way?

Often not. Many insurance companies won’t start new coverage, or increase existing coverage, once a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning is issued for your area, so don’t wait.

Does my policy cover me if I boat offshore or to the Bahamas?

It depends on your policy’s navigation area, which limits where you can boat. If you boat offshore or travel, tell us so we can check.

Talk With Us About Your Boat

Questions about your boat or personal watercraft? Call McGriff-Williams Insurance at (352) 371-7977 or request a quote. We’ll walk you through your options, including the hurricane details, before you decide. Ask us about available discounts, such as for a boating safety course, more than one boat or combining policies.

Statements on this website provide general information only as it relates to policies and coverages. All coverages are subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the actual policy issued. Please contact one of our licensed agents for questions regarding your specific needs and policy.