Yacht Insurance
Your superior yacht deserves superior protection. Get yacht insurance protection with one of our superior carriers, and it’s smooth sailing.
Select a line of business to start a comparison quote. If you’re ready to buy, select from the Quote & Buy options:
Rather speak with an insurance agent? Call us: (877) 334-7646
What is Yacht Insurance?
Your yacht represents more than fiberglass and teak—it’s freedom, achievement, and countless perfect days on the water. Yacht insurance protects that investment when nature, accidents, or others threaten it.
Unlike standard boat policies, yacht insurance addresses the complex risks faced by larger, more valuable vessels. It protects the hull, machinery, and equipment while providing substantial liability coverage for the increased exposure luxury craft owners face.
Don’t assume your homeowner’s policy offers adequate protection. Most exclude watercraft entirely, or offer minimal coverage that vanishes the moment you leave your marina. Yacht insurance fills this critical gap, providing comprehensive protection both at dock and across open water—exactly where you need it most.
Why Yacht Insurance Matters
Because the sea grants no mercy and offers no discounts for good intentions.
When disaster strikes on water, it strikes completely. Total losses aren’t rare exceptions—they’re common occurrences. Salvage costs frequently exceed the vessel’s value. Liability claims stretch into millions. And unlike roadside emergencies, marine incidents happen in environments where professional help can be hours—not minutes—away.
Yacht insurance is the difference between a challenging day and financial devastation. It protects not just your vessel, but your entire financial portfolio from the unique and substantial risks that come with yacht ownership. You may not be legally required to have it, but if you care about what you’ve built—and where it takes you—it’s essential.
What Does Yacht Insurance Cover?
Yacht insurance isn’t merely scaled-up boat coverage. It’s protection designed for the unique exposures of luxury vessels and a distinctive lifestyle.
The Protection Discerning Yacht Owners Demand
- Hull Coverage – Covers your yacht’s structure, motor, or equipment.
- Liability – Protection for injuries or property damage while yachting.
- Medical Payments – Coverage for medical bills for you or your passengers.
- Uninsured Boater – Coverage if you’re hit by someone with no yacht insurance.
- Towing & Assistance – Pays for on-water towing, jump starts, fuel delivery, or other emergency help.
Optional Protection
- Personal Effects Coverage – Insures gear, electronics, and navigation equipment.
- Agreed Value Coverage – Lock in a pre-determined value for your yacht.
- Fuel Spill Liability – Covers cleanup of accidental fuel discharge.
- Wreck Removal – To remove your sunken or wrecked yacht.
Need coverage that fits how—and where—you yacht? We’ll help you build the right policy.
What If I Live on My Yacht?
Morning coffee with a changing view. Sunset cocktails with no neighbors in sight. You chose the liveaboard life for moments like these. But with that freedom comes unique vulnerability.
Standard yacht policies weren’t designed for those who call their vessel home. Most contain fine print limiting continuous occupancy to 30 days—leaving liveaboards exposed just when they need protection most.
Proper liveaboard coverage recognizes your yacht as both transportation and residence. It provides enhanced personal property protection, liability that follows you ashore, and continuous coverage without arbitrary time restrictions. The freedom of life aboard deserves the freedom from worry that only specialized coverage can deliver.
Are Navigation Areas Limited?
“Can I go where I want?”
Yes—with proper planning. Every yacht policy specifies navigational boundaries where your coverage remains active. These aren’t arbitrary restrictions but calculated risk assessments based on weather patterns, distance from assistance, and geopolitical realities.
The right policy constructs these boundaries around your actual cruising plans, not generic templates. Planning a special journey beyond your usual waters? With proper notice, your coverage can follow—turning your policy from a limitation into a passport.
Smart yacht owners understand that navigation limits aren’t obstacles—they’re opportunities to align your coverage with your ambitions, ensuring protection follows wherever your coordinates lead.
How Much Does Yacht Insurance Cost?
There’s no flat rate for yacht insurance. And that’s exactly as it should be.
Your premium precisely reflects your unique risk profile. Hull value matters, certainly. But equally important are your yacht’s construction, systems, power type, and how you use it. A vessel used seasonally in familiar waters costs significantly less to insure than one crossing oceans or navigating challenging regions.
Insurers evaluate factors including:
- Your yacht’s size, age, and construction material
- Where you navigate—coastal, Great Lakes, Caribbean, or offshore
- Your experience level and claims history
- How the vessel is secured when not in use
- The coverages and deductibles you select
Most yacht owners pay between 1-2% of their vessel’s value annually. But remember this truth: you don’t want the cheapest insurance. You want the right coverage at a responsible price.
Yacht Insurance Discounts
Smart ownership is rewarded.
Insurance shouldn’t cost more than necessary. Discerning yacht owners get rewarded—with meaningful savings for smart decisions.
You may qualify for yacht insurance discounts if you:
- Complete USCG-certified safety courses
- Employ a professional captain
- Choose diesel power over gasoline
- Bundle with other premium policies
- Maintain a claim-free history
Every carrier offers different incentives, but the principle remains: quality protection doesn’t have to come at maximum cost.
Ways to Buy Yacht Insurance
No two yacht owners approach insurance the same way. That’s why we make securing proper coverage simple—on your terms.
- Start Online – Convenient, private, and always available. Begin your quote online without picking up the phone.
- Talk to an IronPoint Specialist – Prefer guidance from someone who understands luxury vessels? Connect with our yacht insurance experts who navigate these waters daily.
- Independent Advantage – As independent agents, we represent multiple premium carriers specializing in yacht coverage. This means more options, better protection, and competitive rates tailored to your specific vessel.
However you begin, you’ll end up with the same outcome: protection tailored to your vessel, delivered by specialists who speak your language.
What You Need to Get a Yacht Quote
Getting a yacht insurance quote is actually easy. In any event—we’ll make it easy. To get started, it’s best to have these essentials items:
- Vessel specifications (length, beam, draft, displacement)
- Hull identification number and registration details
- Recent survey (within 3 years for most underwriters)
- Engine hours, specifications, and maintenance records
- Navigation equipment & inventory
- Planned navigation territories and usage patterns
- Captain/crew qualifications and experience
- Prior insurance and claims history (5 years)
Having these ready accelerates the process of securing proper protection. Think of it as preparing for a journey—the right information ensures smooth sailing.
Get a Yacht Insurance Quote
Request a yacht insurance quote online and one of our specialist will begin working to review your watercraft insurance.
Select a line of business to start a comparison quote. If you’re ready to buy, select from the Quote & Buy options:
Call 1-877-334-7646 to speak with an insurance agent.
Got Questions?
Yes—but don’t confuse “required” with “enough.”
Marinas typically require liability coverage to protect themselves—not your vessel. That means if your yacht is damaged in a storm, vandalized at the dock, or suffers an engine fire, the marina’s requirement won’t save you a dime. Their concern is liability. Your concern should be everything else.
If you’re going to meet their requirement, you may as well protect your investment while you’re at it.
Only if you ask it to.
Most policies are written with specific navigational limits. Crossing into foreign waters—Mexico, the Bahamas, the Med—requires prior approval, and often an endorsement.
Think of your policy like a passport. It gets stamped in advance. Not after you arrive.
You become an employer—and the rules change.
Once you hire crew, even casually, you open the door to liability under maritime law. Injuries, negligence claims, wage disputes—they all become part of the equation.
That’s why yacht policies designed for owners with crew include additional coverage for Jones Act liability, workers’ compensation, and maritime employment issues. Hire smart. Insure smarter.
It can be—if the yacht is used for business.
Charter operations, corporate entertaining, or commercial purposes may allow you to deduct some or all of your premium. But if your yacht is purely for pleasure, don’t expect the IRS to underwrite your sunset cruises.
Consult a tax advisor before you start writing off the waterfront.
That depends on how well you planned ahead.
Policies may pay based on agreed value or actual cash value. The first locks in a payout amount upfront—no depreciation surprises. The second pays what the boat is worth at the time of the loss, which may be far less than you expect.
Agreed value costs a bit more. But when you’re looking at a total loss, it’s the kind of difference that matters.