Do You Need Insurance On A Jet Ski In Florida? A Comprehensive Guide

This article will explain Do You Need Insurance On A Jet Ski In Florida? The coasts of Florida offer numerous options for jet skiing. Nothing is more enjoyable than cruising on a strong jet ski while dodging waves. Jet skiing has risks, despite how much fun it can be. Personal watercraft insurance is available to safeguard your finances from these threats.

Owners of jet skis are not required by Florida law to carry PWC insurance. However, Getting insurance before going out on the lake is good. It’s crucial to comprehend how and why you need insurance on a jet ski in Florida and how jet ski insurance varies from regular boat insurance. 

Do You Need Insurance On A Jet Ski In Florida?

Florida does not have a requirement for boat insurance, so owning or operating a boat there is not prohibited. But if you used your boat as collateral for a loan, the investor will usually want you to have insurance to cover any damage to the boat.

What Is Jet Ski Insurance?

Most insurance companies more formally refer to this kind of insurance as “personal watercraft insurance,” even though it is frequently sold as “jet ski insurance.”

Jet skis are regarded as personal watercraft since they are made to carry one, or occasionally two, people—additionally, speed matters.

For insurance purposes, a vehicle normally needs to go faster than 25 miles per hour, which jet skis unquestionably do.

A personal watercraft policy can cover other types of watercraft besides jet skis. You would require the same kind of insurance if you owned a wave runner or similar vessel with a high-horsepower engine and a top speed of more than 25 miles per hour.

Are Jet Ski Insurance and Boat Insurance the Same?

The simple response to this query is “no.” Watercraft insurance includes both varieties of insurance. There are three various kinds of watercraft insurance, each of which is for a certain vessel.

Boat Insurance

The larger, multi-person boats covered by boat insurance are designed to transport many persons. It is presumable that boats are utilized for leisure and are often slow-moving.

They are handled more like vehicles people use on the water, such as automobiles or SUVs.  Liability coverage, which pays for any harm you cause to other people’s property or people while operating your boat, is generally included in boat insurance.

In a collision, the coverage also covers harm to your boat or its engine. Some insurance plans even cover the boat trailer you use when moving the vessel.

Personal Watercraft Insurance

Small and personal watercraft that are used for enjoyment, routinely go faster than 25 mph are covered by personal watercraft insurance.

Personal watercraft insurance is comparable to a motorcycle’s on-land equivalent in terms of coverage.

As your homeowners’ insurance normally covers them, man-powered watercraft like canoes and kayaks don’t typically need to be insured under this policy.

Jet skis and other powerful watercraft are more expensive and more prone to cause damage to other people’s property while in use.

As a result, they typically need to be covered by homeowners’ insurance and require a separate personal watercraft policy.

Many of the same things that boat insurance covers are also covered by personal watercraft insurance, including collision-related damage to your jet ski and other people’s watercraft, property damage, and medical expenses.

However, the quantity of coverage you want differs from boats since these fast personal watercraft are more likely to inflict more damage – and different kinds of harm.

Due to the varying hazards associated with each type of watercraft, insurance firms also charge different premiums for personal watercraft coverage and boat coverage.

Yacht Insurance

Yacht insurance is the third category of watercraft insurance. These insurance plans are created for large watercraft that cost more than a specific amount.

Because it covers more expensive vessels, yacht insurance is more expensive than standard boat insurance.

Although the thresholds for different insurance policies vary, it is common for insurers to advise yacht coverage for any boat with a value over $175,000. 

Why Should You Buy Jet Ski Insurance?

Ensure you have a solid personal watercraft insurance policy if you own a jet ski. Multiple traumatic injuries from jet ski accidents can cost medical expenses and missed pay.

Sometimes the typical yacht insurance policy’s coverage needs to be improved for these circumstances.

Due to their rapid speed, jet skis can significantly damage docks and other vessels. High liability coverage limits are standard in personal watercraft insurance policies to ensure you won’t have to pay the damage bill.

Working with a nearby, independent insurance agent is the best method to locate a quality personal watercraft insurance plan.

They can evaluate policies and suggest one that meets your requirements and price range. If you need any watercraft insurance in Florida, contact Flagler County Insurance Agency.

Cost of boat insurance in Florida: We’d be pleased to provide you with a plan that gives you confidence in the water. Your boat insurance estimates will vary depending on several variables, including:

• The worth of your boat
• Your boat’s storage location and the area in which it can be navigated
• Your boat’s dimensions and kind of maritime vessel
• How frequently and for what purposes your boat is used

Since many boat owners in Florida use their vessels year-round instead of during particular seasons in colder climes, boat insurance costs are often greater there.

Additionally, boat insurance premiums are higher since more boats are used off the coast than inland.

Due to the heightened danger of storm damage and the enhanced hurricane vulnerability of certain places, Florida insurers frequently provide higher quotations or policies with higher deductibles. There are numerous strategies you may take into consideration to get the finest estimates on boat insurance that is less expensive in Florida:

• If you can afford it, you might want to raise your hull deductible because it will lower your premiums.
• You can frequently get a discount on your boat insurance if you add an auxiliary motor to your sailboat for emergencies.
• If you’re considering purchasing a boat, consider a modern model because older boats frequently have higher boat insurance premiums.
• Enrolling in a boating safety course can frequently reduce the price of your boat insurance.
• Informing your insurer if you don’t plan to use your boat for many months a year could result in lower insurance premiums since stored boats are frequently viewed as less risky.

Instead of an agreed value policy, you can see the option to receive low-cost boat insurance quotes by getting an actual cash value policy, but we advise you to proceed with caution while making this choice.

Some of the most inexpensive boat insurance policies are actual cash-value policies. Still, since depreciation is considered, the payout in the event of a claim would be less.

Do you need a boating license in Florida?

In Florida, boat operation is not subject to a boating licensing requirement. However, suppose a person born after 1988 wants to employ a boat with 10 horsepower or more.

In that case, they must comply with state legislation, which mandates that they complete an approved boating safety course and possess a boating security education identification card.

You won’t require to be recertified because the boating safety ID card from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is valid for life.

Florida does not require a license for PWC or jet ski operators; the only requirement for a boater safety card is if the operator is a minor under 22. Additionally, anyone under 14 cannot operate a PWC or jet ski.

Florida boat registration requirements & fees

You have 30 days after purchasing a boat to title and register it with the state to operate it in Florida’s public waters. When filing for a boat title and enrollment at a county tax collector or support plate agent’s office, you can request a one-year or two-year registration.

Florida boating laws mandate that once you’ve gotten your registration, you keep it with you at all times when operating the boat. Additionally, you will receive boat numbers and decals that must be attached to your vessel.

Only boats without motors under 16 feet in length and boats used only in private bodies of water, such as lakes or ponds, are exempt from registration requirements.

Florida also exempts canoes, kayaks, and rowing sculls from registration requirements.

Fill out an application and present ownership documentation to involve a boat title in Florida. A new boat’s manufacturer’s certificate of origin, an official statement from the boat’s constructor, and the bill of sale from the dealer where you bought the boat are all acceptable forms of proof of ownership.

If you purchased a used boat, the title only requires the signatures of you, the buyer, and the prior owner who sold the boat to you. Additionally, you’ll have to pay Florida boat titling fees:

• $7.75 for a paper title or $5.25 for an electronic title. An expedited title, an additional choice, costs $11.
• $1 to record each existing lien against the boat on the title.
• $4 if your yacht was registered in a different state.

You can apply to register your boat in Florida after a title has been issued. Similarly, you’ll need to apply with evidence of ownership, like a bill of sale or a statement of origin from the manufacturer.

The cost to register a boat in Florida varies depending on its length, whether or not it is equipped with an Emergency Location Indicating Radio Beacon or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), and the county you register it.

Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Volusia counties in Florida charge an extra boat registration fee.

Conclusion

Here I will sum up the above information about Do You Need Insurance On A Jet Ski In Florida? Florida state law does not require you to have boat insurance. The lender may demand that you have insurance to protect the boat from any potential damages if you wish to take out a loan and use your boat as collateral. The marina may also demand boat liability insurance if you wish to dock your boat there in Florida. 

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