Before you read
Most faq topic write-ups skim the surface and leave you with the same answer for every boat. This one is built around the questions that actually move a dockage decision: how marinas measure your boat, how they bill, and which clauses to read twice before signing.
Boat insurance is a marina contract requirement and a financial necessity. Coverage requirements vary by state, marina, and where you plan to cruise — and named-windstorm and navigation territory clauses cause more disputes than any other.
Most U.S. marinas require liability coverage of at least $300,000, with $500K–$1M increasingly standard. Hull (physical damage) insurance is required by lenders and some marinas. Liveaboards typically need a liveaboard endorsement.
Named-windstorm coverage is the hot button on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Many carriers exclude it below a parallel (usually 32° N), require haul-out plans, or charge 1.5–3% of hull value annually for the rider. Get it in writing before signing a slip lease.
Navigation territory limits where you're covered. Standard policies cover U.S. inland and within 75 nm of the coast. Bahamas, Caribbean, and trans-Pacific require additional endorsements — sometimes 2–3x premium.
Marina requirements
- • $300K – $1M liability
- • Hull insurance (lender)
- • Liveaboard endorsement
- • Hurricane plan filed
- • Loss-of-use sometimes
Where it gets tricky
- • Named-windstorm exclusions
- • Navigation territory
- • Liveaboard status
- • Charter use
- • Older or wood boats