This Saturday Is the Busiest Boating Day of the Year and Most of the Boats on Florida's Water Have No Insurance " Live Insurance News

This Saturday Is the Busiest Boating Day of the Year and Most of the Boats on Florida's Water Have No Insurance highlights Florida’s lack of mandatory boat insurance ahead of July 4. The article says Florida has more registered recreational boats than any other U.S. state and does not require owners to carry insurance, with no state law mandating coverage or minimum liability. It notes that first-time owners can launch without coverage, and that July is the second-deadliest month in Florida boating; in 2024, twelve people died on Florida waters in July. For 2025, Florida reported 694 boating accidents and 51 fatalities, while 2024 recorded 685 accidents and 81 deaths, the deadliest year since 2019. Miami-Dade County led accidents in 2024 with 76, and Monroe County had the highest fatality count with 10. Only Arkansas and Utah require liability insurance by law, with estimates that 30% to 40% of owners carry any insurance.