Boat Insurance in British Columbia
Boat Insurance in British Columbia
A popular and fun summertime activity is boating, even though in most provinces you only use your boat for a few months out of the year, it is still important to have it insured all year round.
It's called beautiful British Columbia for a reason! The coastal province has an abundance of waterways and is peppered with lakes and rivers, making boating an exciting pastime for residents. The province has over 25,000 inland lakes, thousand of kilometers of rivers, and a whopping 27,000 kilometers of breathtaking coastline! There are many coastal marine parks and protected areas that give tourists and residents a peek at the wildlife as they cruise by such as whales, seals, otters, bears and moose. BC is also a great place to fish, having some of the best fishing waters in the world. So whether you sail, motorboat, or canoe, there are plenty of beautiful destinations to be explored in BC!
No two boats are alike so make sure you speak with one of our Advisors to get the best advice. We'll provide you up to 10+ quotes from Canada's top boat insurance providers, getting you the coverage you need, for the best price possible.
Boat insurance covers you in the event of a loss or damage to your watercraft. It covers most watercraft with motors, including fishing boats, paddle boats, leisure crafts, even yachts (for you high rollers!). For smaller boats, you may find some limited coverage under your homeowner's policy, so it's best to chat with your Surex Advisor about what you're covered for and what you need to add to your policy when you buy a boat.
Boaters in BC are required to have and carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) to legally operate any powered or motorized boat in Canada. Once you obtain this license, it is good for life! And make sure you carry it with you at all times when aboard your boat.
The amount of boat insurance you will need depends on a number of factors such as the value of the boat, the motor size, the age and how you use it (speed boat vs a pleasure cruiser). For example, if you bought a new high-performance speed boat, you will need more coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability than you would if you had a pleasure cruiser.
The general rule when it comes to figuring out the average boat insurance prices is that you'll pay about 1.5% of the value of your boat in annual rates. So, to insure a boat worth around $50,000, it would cost you only about $750 per year to have it fully insured. Typically it will cost $200-$500 per year.
This is similar to the information you would give out when getting auto insurance, here is the information you would need to provide:
- The length, type and value of your boat
- The condition of the boat and the market value
- How often the boat is used, what it is used for and where you store it
- The waters you take the boat out on and if you ever charter your boat
- The experience, loss and claims history of the owners and/or operators
- Any clubs the owners are members of (Sail Canada, or Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons)
It's best to shop around and compare, and that's exactly what we do for you at Surex! We work with the top insurance companies in Canada to provide you with the best rates for your situation. We can find the right boat insurance in Alberta for you!
- Desolation Sound
- Harrison Lake
- The Sunshine Coast
- Garibaldi Lake
- Joffre Lakes
- Okanagan Lake
- Crescent Beach Marina
- Van Isle Marina
- Heather Civic Marina
