Here’s the short answer: No. You need to pay zilch in boat trailer insurance. Or at least that’s what the law says. Regardless of where you live in the United States, no law states that you must have low-cost boat trailer insurance.
Now let’s talk practical. Depending on the size of your water vessel, your boat trailer itself could cost several hundred dollars…or several thousand—even as much as $10,000.
And it’s not just a matter of the damage that can occur to your trailer. A more critical factor might be the trailer’s damage to other vehicles, personal property…or people. So…yeah, getting insurance is not a bad idea.
The good news is that you don’t need to buy separate boat trailer insurance. All you have to do is add on to your boat insurance coverage. First, let’s look into all of the bad things that can happen to your boat trailer and just how critical the worst accidents could be.
Why You Might Need to File a Boat Trailer Insurance Claim
It seems like such a simple product, doesn’t it? Your boat trailer looks hardy and long-lasting. Straightforward in design and utilitarian in nature. So what if it gets a little banged up? That’s what it’s built for — right?
Now let’s look at some of the leading causes of damage to boat trailers (and even to other people):
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Road collision
- Waterway collision with other vehicles while docking
- Strong winds or other natural phenomena while parked or stored
- Fire
Here’s what’s important to know: when you add your boat trailer to your low-cost boat insurance policy, your trailer is covered whether or not it’s attached to your watercraft when it’s lost or damaged.
So if it gets mangled in a tornado while parked in your driveway, it doesn’t matter whether or not your cabin cruiser is attached to it at the time — even though the policy is on your boat.
Your Most Important Boat Trailer Insurance Coverage Might Be Liability
Towing a boat on the back of your car or truck can be tricky. You know that. You’ve winced at having to brake suddenly. Or you’ve felt your craft swerve in strong winds while on a turnpike at 70 miles an hour. You’ve driven it on congested roadways and heard traffic honking behind you.
Driving that big boat isn’t always a pleasant task. Now imagine there’s a failure related to your trailer, and your big (or even small) boat gets loose on a crowded highway. Think of the lawsuits, not to mention the possible injury (or worse) to innocent others.
This is where liability coverage is critical. If your boat causes any damage on land or water, you can and probably will be sued. This includes injury to other boaters or any drivers or passengers injured if the accident occurs while you’re towing your boat and your trailer connection is lost for any reason.
While boat liability insurance isn’t legally required in most states, you can easily see the value to your bottom line. Keep in mind that most low-cost boat insurance policies can be purchased for somewhere around a dollar a day. The only bad financial decision you might make is not getting boat insurance (and liability coverage) at all.
Shop for Coverage through an Independent Insurance Agent
Independent agents don’t work for any one insurance provider. Instead, they have contracted relationships with several major carriers — maybe a dozen or more. What this means is that your independent insurance agent can compare several available low-cost boat insurance plans and find the one that best fits your needs for price and benefits.
Your independent insurance agent only represents trusted, proven carriers. So what you get is a boat insurance policy that will yield financial security while covering both your boat and your trailer. Low-cost boat insurance and boat trailer insurance rolled into one.
Hit the Waves with Affordable Boat Trailer Insurance
Freeway Insurance isn’t just your primary market for affordable car insurance. You can also get a free low-cost boat insurance and boat trailer insurance quote online. Call us at (800) 777-5620 or find a Freeway office near you to meet with an agent before you set sail.
