Sailboat Insurance

Sailboat insurance isn’t just a policy. It’s the difference between a maritime mishap and financial disaster. Your vessel faces unique perils that land-dwellers never encounter—and when trouble strikes at sea, you’re miles from help.

At IronPoint Insurance Services, we protect what matters. We cover your vessel completely, not partially. We respond when others won’t. And we do it at rates that won’t sink your budget.

This isn’t generic boat coverage repackaged—it’s specialized protection crafted specifically for serious sailors.

What Is Sailboat Insurance – and Why It’s Different

Sailboat insurance isn’t boat insurance with a different name. It’s specialized protection crafted for the unique challenges that only sailors face.

Your sailboat encounters risks that powerboats never will—mast failures during an unexpected gust, rigging damage from prolonged tension, or sail tears when you’re miles offshore. Standard boat policies rarely address these sail-specific vulnerabilities.

Whether you captain a day sailer with a small outboard or a blue-water cruiser with auxiliary diesel power, proper sailboat insurance recognizes the hybrid nature of your vessel and protects all its components—not just the hull and motor.

What Does Sailboat Insurance Cover?

The right sailboat insurance protects more than just your vessel—it secures your sailing lifestyle. Here’s what a comprehensive boat insurance coverage you deserve:

Core Coverages:

• Physical Damage Protection – Your hull, mast, sails, rigging, and auxiliary motor are covered against collision, weather damage, vandalism, and theft. When the unexpected happens, you’re not left adrift.
• Liability Coverage – If your vessel causes injury to others or damages property, this essential protection handles the costs. One momentary lapse at the helm shouldn’t capsize your financial future.
• Medical Payments – When someone is injured aboard your vessel, this coverage helps with immediate medical expenses, regardless of fault.
• Uninsured Boater Protection – Not every sailor carries proper insurance. This coverage protects you when they don’t and you’re injured due to their negligence.

Optional Coverages:

• Personal Items Coverage – Your marine electronics, navigation equipment, and personal belongings don’t have to be sacrificed to the sea. We can cover them too.
• Towing & Assistance – When you’re stranded with a mechanical failure or run aground, professional help is just a call away—without the out-of-pocket expense.
• Trailer Coverage – Protection for your trailer while on the road, at home, or at the launch ramp.
• Racing Coverage – If regattas and racing are your passion, we offer special coverage for the increased risks and potential damage that competitive sailing entails.
• International Waters Protection – Sailing to Mexico, the Caribbean, or beyond? We offer coverage options that follow you across borders and into international waters.

Special Coverage Features Sailors Love

• Agreed Value Protection – You don’t get what some algorithm says your boat is worth after depreciation. You get the full agreed-upon value stated in your policy. Period.
• No Depreciation on Partial Losses – When your genoa tears or your electronics get soaked, we don’t subtract for wear and tear. We replace them at today’s prices, not yesterday’s discounted value.
• Wreckage Removal & Fuel Spill Cleanup – If disaster strikes, we don’t just write a check and sail away. We help with the environmental cleanup and vessel recovery that responsibility demands.

Do I Really Need Sailboat Insurance?

The wind doesn’t care how careful you are. And neither does the boat next to you.

While most states don’t legally require insurance for your sailboat, reality does. Most marinas won’t let you dock without it. Lenders won’t finance without it. And the sailor who truly understands the risks won’t sleep well without it.

Your homeowner’s policy offers little or no protection for your vessel, especially once you’re away from the dock. And the potential liability from even a minor accident can threaten everything you’ve worked for.

Sailing is freedom. Insurance is what lets you keep it.

How Much Does Sailboat Insurance Cost?

Sailboat insurance cost varies widely based on what you sail and how you sail it. Basic liability coverage can start around $100 annually, while comprehensive protection for larger vessels typically ranges from $300 to $1,000 or more per year.

What affects your premium?

• The size, age, and value of your vessel
• How and where you use it (coastal cruising, offshore passages, racing)
• Your experience and sailing record
• Your location and where you keep your boat
• Safety features and equipment onboard

We help you find savings through bundling policies, accounting for seasonal lay-up periods, and discounts for completed safety courses. But we’ll never sacrifice proper coverage just to shave a few dollars off your premium. That’s not protection—that’s pretending.

What Type of Sailboats Can We Insure?

If you sail it, we’ll probably cover it. Our insurance partners provide coverage for virtually every type of sailing vessel:

• Day Sailers and Dinghies
• Coastal Cruisers
• Catamarans and Multihulls
• Performance Racers
• Trailerable Sailboats
• Blue-Water Passagemakers
• Classic Wooden Sailboats

Most sailboats under 50 feet, constructed of fiberglass, aluminum, or quality composites, and built to Coast Guard standards qualify easily. For unique vessels or those with special circumstances, our specialists can often find custom solutions.

Tips for Getting a Quote

When you’re ready for a sailboat insurance quote, having these details ready will ensure you get the most accurate pricing:

• Year, make, model, and length of your vessel
• Hull Identification Number (HIN)
• Hull material and construction details
• Propulsion type (sail-only or auxiliary engine specifications)
• Primary usage (recreational, racing, living aboard)
• Where you sail and where you store your boat
• Documentation of any completed boater safety courses
• Details of your sailing experience and history

Why Sailors Trust IronPoint Insurance Services

For over twenty years, sailors throughout the coastal United States have turned to IronPoint when they need specialized marine insurance that truly understands the sailing life.

We aren’t generalists dabbling in boat coverage. Our marine insurance specialists maintain deep relationships with top-rated carriers who specialize in sailing vessels. This gives you access to policies crafted specifically for sailors, not power boaters.

When you call IronPoint, you’ll speak with a real person who asks the right questions, understands your needs, and crafts a policy that fits your vessel and your lifestyle—not some algorithm’s idea of what you should have.

And when you need us most—at claim time—you’ll never navigate those waters alone. We’re your advocate, not just your agent.