Common Signs It’s Time to Update Your Boat Insurance

As a boat owner, you have numerous responsibilities. These include preparing the boat for the summer, safeguarding it for offseason storage, and ensuring it’s adequately insured due to the risks associated with boating. At Kingston Insurance Agency LLC, we often encounter boaters who discover they’re underinsured when it’s too late. Here are three signs indicating it’s time to update your boat coverage policy.

1. Upgrades to Your Watercraft

If you’ve replaced the engine, updated the features, or made any improvements to your boat, its monetary value will increase. Consequently, you need to update your boat insurance to reflect this value and ensure your boat is properly insured. Remember, this also applies when you upgrade the safety gear on your watercraft.

2. Boating in New Waters

If you’ve relocated your boat from a lake to open waters like an ocean, you need to update your insurance. Boating on the ocean carries more risk, so insurance companies may not cover you if your policy states you’re only using the boat on a lake or a river. You should also update your coverage if you’re staying on lake waters but moving your boat to another state.

3. New Operators

Has your child reached the age to drive the boat? Do you occasionally let your friend or neighbor take it out? Whenever you add new operators to the boat, you need to reflect that in the insurance policy. You may not be covered if your boat sustains damage while someone other than the person listed on the policy is driving it.

If you find yourself in any of these situations, contact us at Kingston Insurance Agency LLC, today to update your watercraft insurance policy. Reach out to us as soon as possible to learn more about how we can assist you.

Personalize Your Personal Watercraft Insurance Policy

All About Personal Watercraft Insurance

If you’re a personal watercraft (PWC) enthusiast and love taking your WaveRunner, Sea-Doo, or Jet Ski to the lake, you likely understand the significance of preparedness. It’s about protecting your PWC and ensuring your peace of mind while enjoying the waves. Aligning the right boat/watercraft insurance is important to this preparedness. At Kingston Insurance Agency LLC, we’re here to facilitate your insurance needs before you embark on your next water adventure.

It’s Personal – Protecting Your PWC

Ensure your marine or boat insurance covers the watercraft type you prefer. At the minimum, you’ll need coverage for bodily injury, medical payments, and property damage to help you navigate the waters worry-free. These form the baseline of your watercraft coverage. A consultation with your insurance agent can make you confident about having ample coverage commensurate with your usage.

Insurance for All Water Vehicles

If you already possess boat insurance, you understand the importance of separate coverage for your watercraft. Remember to include every personal watercraft in your garage under your insurance coverage.

Tailoring Your Insurance Policy

Usage specifics of your watercraft may necessitate additional coverage. For instance, if you use your watercraft to compete, you’ll need more extensive insurance coverage than weekend water enthusiasts. Similarly, if you lend your watercraft to friends, you might face additional liability, necessitating extra coverage.

Our team of boat insurance professionals can guide you in considering unique coverage requirements. For instance, if you possess a dock on your property, you may need to extend your coverage beyond a standard watercraft policy.

Review your coverage to ensure it also extends to damage to other crafts. Not every policy covers all possible risks, so read your policy carefully. Our team can assist you in ensuring your policy covers physical damage to the hull, equipment, and machinery on your boats and watercraft.

Consider Additional Coverage

It is worthwhile to consider covering personal items that could be lost or damaged while using your watercraft. Furthermore, roadside assistance coverage takes care of the cost of towing your trailer or tow equipment if it breaks down while transporting your PWCs.

For a free PWC insurance quote, contact the Kingston Insurance Agency LLC team, to schedule an appointment.

Getting Into Jet Ski Racing? Get Yourself Insured

At Kingston Insurance Agency LLC, we can provide residents with great boating insurance that covers your Jet Skis. If you’re getting into racing and want to keep yourself safe, there are many policies that you can consider that should make sure you understand your options here.

The Importance of Boating Protection

Boating insurance provides a high-quality and unique level of protection that keeps watercraft safe. They’re designed to cover a broad array of different boat types like speed boats, fishing trawlers, yachts, and even Jet Skis. They can keep your vehicle safe while you’re on the water.

Basic boat coverage can help with things like collisions, vehicle damage, liability issues, and more. Specialized and personalized racing policies focus specifically on the unique challenges and dangers of racing. They can provide a long-term solution that makes sense for your needs.

Specialized Racing Insurance is Available

Boating insurance provides a diverse and unique level of protection that can keep your Jet Ski safe. There are many racing types that you might enjoy, such as closed- and open-course racing, as well as freestyle and hydrodrags. Racing insurance can protect you, no matter what race you set up.

It’s important to research your options here to choose a policy that suits your needs. For example, there are some that focus specifically on Jet Skis, so do your research to get great coverage. Just as importantly, make sure you do your shopping to find a price that makes sense for your needs.

We’re Here to Help You

Our crew at Kingston Insurance Agency LLC can provide residents with the important boating coverage they need to keep their Jet Skis safe while they’re racing. Contact us so that you can get a strong policy that makes sense for your specific needs.

3 Safety Rules Every Boat Owner Should Enforce

If you are a boat owner, your responsibilities do not end with simply having insurance coverage. There are several boat safety rules that you should enforce any time you or your guests are on your boat. We want to help residents and the surrounding areas, make good safety choices while on the water. Learn more about the three important safety rules for your boat from the friendly insurance professionals at Kingston Insurance Agency LLC.

3 Safety Rules For Boat Owners

Floatation Devices For Everyone

Any time you or guests are on your boat, everyone needs a personal floatation device available. Never, ever cut corners on this. If you do not have adequate floatation devices for everyone on board, then you should cut the number of guests you take out on the boat or procure the devices before heading out onto the water. A floatation device could mean the difference between a great day on the lake or a disaster.

Prepare Safety Gear For Every Outing

Even if you are only going to be on the water for a short time, it is imperative that you properly prepare your safety equipment before heading out. You should have all floatation devices in good shape, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, flares, extra food, and water. These could be life savings items in an emergency situation.

No Drinking and Boating

Just like driving a car, a boat should never be driven by someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Driving a boat requires that you be alert and ready to handle emergency situations. Using drugs or alcohol will impair your ability to keep yourself and your guests safe on your boat.

Get Boat Insurance Today

If you would like to learn more about boat insurance or other services,  please contact us at Kingston Insurance Agency LLC, serving and the surrounding areas.