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3 Questions to Ask About Pleasure Craft Insurance

Tyler Vogelsberg • Jan 30, 2020

Do you love sailing on the water? Do you own a pleasure craft that you utilise for private use? If so, you should consider pleasure craft insurance. Read on to learn more!

What constitutes pleasure craft?

A basic definition of pleasure craft is any non-commercial marine vessel used for private, personal or family use. The craft may engage in recreational or sporting activities including waterskiing, as long as it is not being used commercially with fees being charged.

Pleasure crafts range from small to large vessels, such as sailboats, yachts, canoes, motorboats and jet skis. Pleasure crafts are able to be used on all waterways, including lakes, rivers, coastal waters or canals.

What does pleasure craft insurance cover?

Pleasure craft insurance covers any personal boat or marine vessel up to a certain, agreed-upon amount. However, the owner must list supplementary items such as a trailer, rigging, personal contents, fishing gear or canopies on the policy. If not listed, these items are often not insured.

Once the specific items of the policy are agreed upon, the policy coverage often provides for the following:

Damage: This includes any damage incurred from a fire, explosion or theft. However, for this coverage to apply, the boat must be in storage, in secure moorings, in use or in transit on a trailer specifically designed for that type of boat.
Loss: If you suffer a total loss of your boat from any kind of accident, the policy will usually pay for a replacement.
Theft: As long as your boat was secure and the thief entered without authorisation, then the policy covers the theft of any of the boat’s contents or the boat itself.
Liability: Did another person get injured by your boat or whilst they were a passenger on your boat? Did your boat damage another boat or another person’s property? If so, the liability section of the policy will be triggered.
Water skiers: Pleasure craft insurance often covers water skiers, whether they’re personally injured, injure another person or damage another’s property whilst riding behind your boat. Coverage doesn’t usually include parasailers without prior approval by the insurers.
Fuel: If your boat’s fuel accidentally discharges, then insurance coverage will often cover the costs of replacement fuel.
Breakdown: Some insurance policies will handle costs related to electrical or mechanical breakdowns of your pleasure craft.
Sewage: If your holding tanks accidentally leak sewage, you can usually cover the costs associated with this.
Storage: Also known as layup coverage, this additional benefit helps with any theft, fire, accident or damage that happens whilst your boat is in storage. The boat must be on your property or in an authorised boat storage facility. You can usually select the specific months you want this coverage for.
Personal injuries: If the policy owner is injured in an accident whilst using the boat, then insurance will typically cover the costs, especially if the policy owner has permanent eye, finger or limb injuries.
Salvage: If your boat suffers damage which renders it un-useable, many policies will cover the costs associated with retrieving it.
Specific activities: If you use your pleasure craft for racing, you may be able to get additional coverage for this.

Besides all these various coverage options, you can also benefit from emergency help and claims assistance.

Who benefits from pleasure craft insurance?

Pleasure craft insurance isn’t just for the craft’s owner. It covers various people, including:

Passengers on the boat while it’s in use
Jet skiers being towed by the boat
People who are injured by your boat or any jet skiers being towed behind it
Owners of property that the boat damaged

If you own a pleasure craft, make sure you have pleasure craft insurance. Speak to the friendly, knowledgeable team at Westralian Insurance today.

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