Can a Boat Be Driven by Someone Not Listed on the Insurance Policy?

Until the decision is made to buy a boat, most people will not give a thought to what type of insurance is needed for a boat and how its drivers will be covered. The basic policy for boat insurance is not so different from car insurance. The main differences are the fact that you can actually insure your boat against breakdown by buying insurance on the motor, and boat insurance does not give quite as much weight to the driver of the boat when calculating premium amounts.

Boat insurance will look at some of the history and experience of the primary driver.

While motor boat drivers licenses are not required in most states, insurance companies do need to assess the risk associated with the way a particular boat will be operated. As much as possible, the insurer will look at the claim history of the owner and/or the main driver of the boat. A driver who has a clean history will receive a better rate than a driver that is perceived as reckless.

Generally, boat insurance policies will have language about allowing impaired drivers to operate the boat.

Essentially, this means that the driver of a boat should not be drunk or have cloudy judgment due to drugs or alcohol. However, this could also include lack of sleep or a period that is highly charged with emotional pain. The insurance company may exclude this type of driver from being covered.

Insurance on boats may also exclude underage drivers.

Each company may set an arbitrary age for drivers in order to be covered on the policy. The laws in many states already have set a legal age for operating a boat. The insurers tend to follow the laws for the specific state. This age may be higher if special activities are happening. This would include pulling water skiers and boat racing. In some crowded venues, local ordinances may have more stringent age restrictions in force.

Most insurance companies will cover anyone who is driving a boat.

As long as the driver is not impaired and meets any other criteria expressed within the policy declarations, most insurance companies will extend the coverage to the boat and automatically insure the driver. It is always best to verify this by reading your policy or consulting your agent. You may want to do personal restrictions on who is allowed to drive your boat to give additional protection to your property.