Making sure your boat is regularly maintained and properly covered with boat insurance not only keeps your vessel protected and looking new, but it can also help avoid costly repairs and extend your boat’s life. There are a few basic items that you can take care of as the boat owner, and a few complex boat maintenance items that require the help of a professional. Purchasing a boat is a major investment and, subsequently, purchasing the proper insurance coverage and effectively maintaining the boat helps protect that investment.

Clean the Boat Regularly

Grime, salt and even moisture can wreak havoc on the appearance of your boat. These elements can leave your boat looking dingy and can even cause damage to the paint over time. Thus, cleaning your boat regularly is imperative to maintaining the appearance of the vessel’s exterior. Here are some general cleaning guidelines:

• Routine maintenance: If you spend most of your time boating in saltwater, you need to wash the boat with clean water from a hose or another freshwater source after each use. Saltwater can corrode your boat’s metal and cause other superficial damage.
• Annual maintenance: Your boat should be thoroughly detailed once a year. The boat detailing processshould include scrubbing the boat with a gentle cleanser and cleaning all the compartments in the interior of the boat. Hiring a professional company to clean your boat is a good idea if you don’t have the supplies needed to do a thorough job.

Protect the Gelcoat

The gelcoat is the coating sprayed over your boat’s surface at the beginning of the fiberglass layup process. This coat helps protect the surface from weather elements and wear and tear. Gelcoats that are not polished can oxidize after a while, taking on an unappealing appearance. Wax or polish your boat regularly throughout the year to protect the gelcoat.

Purchase Boat Insurance

Boats allow owners to participate in adventurous recreational activities with their friends and family. This adventure, however, comes with risks. An important part of maintaining your boat is purchasing the best boat insurance you can afford. Read below for more specifics on:

The average cost for boat insurance: The cost will vary greatly depending on the value of your boat. Generally, you can expect to pay about 1.5% of your boat’s value annually in premiums. Therefore, a boat worth about $20,000 would cost around $300 a year to insure.

What boat insurance do I need? Generally, there are two types of boat insurance you can purchase: actual cash value and agreed amount value. A cash value policy will cover the total cost to replace the boat minus depreciation costs in the event of an accident. An agreed amount policy will pay you an amount that you and the insurance company agreed upon before any loss took place.

About Mariners Insurance

Mariners General Insurance Group was founded in 1959 to protect boat owners and marine business clients. We are marine insurance experts and insure boats worldwide – in every ocean on the planet. Marine insurance is critical if you own a boat or nautical business. Trust the professionals with all of your Boat Insurance needs – trust Mariners Insurance. Call us at (888) 402-5018 any time you have questions or concerns about insurance for your vessel or marine business.