Boat season is here: How to protect your boat, jet ski, and gear this summer - The Gonzales Inquirer

Boat season is here: How to protect your boat, jet ski, and gear this summer—The Gonzales Inquirer—examines why owners should review protection before heading onto lakes and waterways during peak warm-weather months. It cites U.S. Coast Guard data for 2024, reporting 3,887 boating accidents that produced 556 deaths, 2,170 injuries, and $88 million in property damage, while noting that smaller incidents may go unreported. The article says homeowners insurance typically covers only small or nonmotorized watercraft while on the owner’s property, usually capped at about $1,000 to $1,500, and that larger boats and most jet skis generally fall outside that protection. It highlights liability coverage as a major gap, warning that injuries to others or damage to other vessels could become the owner’s responsibility. The piece says the water-related risks excluded under homeowners policies include collision, capsizing, and running aground. It quotes Erica Ostrander of We Insure and lists common eligibility limits such as boats up to 25 feet and certain horsepower thresholds.