The State of Houseboat Insurance

houseboat insurance

 

It’s hard enough to get insurance for a house built on a rock, you can imagine the strings you need to pull just to get a decent houseboat insurance. But since you bought the property, you need to be covered for any eventualities. The question is how? It’s a houseboat, not a villa, after all.

Getting Houseboat Insurance

houseboat surveyor

 

If you’re new to owning a houseboat, you need to know one fact about your property: it’s not easy to insure a houseboat. You can just imagine why. A lot of things can go wrong in a houseboat: if it’s not going down in flames it can take on water! Not to mention that a houseboat depreciates a lot faster than a regular house or a regular boat.

 

Although getting the right houseboat insurance is not easy, it can be done. Some houseboat insurers even insure the contents of your boat; you just have to know where to find the right houseboat insurer in your area.

How to Get Houseboat Insurance

houseboat insurance premium

 

Before you show your houseboat to an insurer, there are stops and ends you have to meet. First of all you should have your houseboat inspected by a reputable marine surveyor even if the property is new. A marine surveyor can give a clean health bill to an old houseboat or suggest additions to a new property to increase its chance of getting the right insurer right off the bat.

 

Moreover, you need to learn the right questions to ask a houseboat insurer.

Questions to Ask a Houseboat Insurer

houseboat insurance cost

 

1. What are the navigation limits
These are the limits that a houseboat insurer issues before insuring a houseboat. Make sure that you understand all the navigation limits and how some of them can be avoided.

2. What is the coverage of the lay-up period
Remember that the longer the lay-up period coverage the lower the houseboat insurance premium you have to pay.

3. What are the liability type covered
This includes coverage for property damage, personal injury, and others. The more coverage the insurer gives, the better, of course.

4. How much will it cost for liveaboard cover
You need to be clear on this since you and your love ones will spend (or live) several days a year in the houseboat.

5. How many marine surveys are required
A houseboat insurer requires regular marine survey scheduled during the life of the insurance. Make sure that the schedule is favorable on your part.

 

Where To Find Houseboat Insurers in the U.S.

houseboat

 

In the United States, the top houseboat insurers include the following:

1. American Marine Insurance
The company is located in California and covers a wide range of insurance for marine properties.

2. BoatUS Marine Insurance
The company has coverage for boat owners in the entire United States and offers a wide variety of houseboat insurance policies to suit all your needs.

Where to Find Reputable Marine Surveyors

houseboat insurer

 

You can fine reputable marine surveyors in the country through the National Association of Marine Surveyors, Inc. and the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, Inc. When hiring a marine surveyor, it’s good to do a little research to find a surveyor that’s trusted by your prospect houseboat insurance provider.

With proper research and due diligence, anybody with a houseboat can find the right houseboat insurance provider anywhere they live—so don’t be afraid to own your first houseboat in lake Powell or what have you.

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