The Hidden Danger: Your Homeowners Insurance Won't Cover Your Boat
What Most Boat Owners Don’t Realize
Your homeowners' insurance provides very limited coverage for boats — typically $1,000–$5,000 maximum. That’s not nearly enough to replace your $50,000 boat or cover liability while you’re out on the water.
Low Coverage Limits
Most homeowner's policies only cover $1,000–$5,000 for boats—far below the cost of repair or replacement.
No Liability Coverage
If someone is injured while on your boat—or you damage another vessel—you’re not covered under homeowners insurance.
No On-Water Coverage
Home policies exclude accidents that happen while boating—meaning storm, theft, and collision damages aren’t covered.
The result? Your $60,000 boat could be destroyed in a storm, and your homeowners' insurance might only pay $5,000—leaving you to cover the rest out of pocket.
What You Risk Without Boat Insurance
Real scenario from Lake Lanier: A Johns Creek family owned a beautiful $65,000 boat. When a severe storm swept through Lake Lanier, the vessel was destroyed and sank to the bottom. They assumed their homeowners' insurance would take care of it—but soon learned that coverage for boats was severely limited.
What Their Homeowners' Insurance Covered
Only $5,000 — the maximum coverage limit for boats under their policy.
What They Still Owed
$60,000 out of pocket to replace their boat and recover the loss.
Their Only Options
- Take out a $60,000 personal loan — going deeper into debt
- Walk away from their $65,000 investment
- Dip into emergency or retirement savings
In the end, the family chose the last option. They liquidated $60,000 from their retirement accounts, paid taxes and penalties, and set their retirement plans back by several years—all for a loss that could’ve been fully covered by a boat insurance policy costing around $600 per year.
What They Ultimately Lost:
- Their $65,000 boat investment
- Over $60,000 in retirement savings
- Years of compound growth on those funds
- Their long-term financial peace of mind
A simple, affordable boat insurance policy could have protected their finances—and their future—from this devastating loss.