Boat Insurance for Arkansas
Arkansas boat insurance for boaters who know the water.
From Lake Ouachita, Arkansas' largest lake, to Beaver Lake and Bull Shoals in the Ozarks, Roamly works with carriers who understand how Arkansans actually boat.
Arkansas at a Glance
Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
Insurance requirement | Required for personal watercraft and motorboats over 50 hp: at least $50,000 in liability coverage per occurrence, with proof needed to register. |
Boater education | Anyone born on or after January 1, 1986 needs a boater education card to operate a motorboat — including one with only a trolling motor — a sailboat, or a PWC. The card is good for life. |
Boating under the influence | Boating while intoxicated (0.08 BAC) falls under the same law as drunk driving: a first offense brings 24 hours to a year in jail, a $150 to $1,000 fine, and a six-month driver's license suspension. Boaters under 21 can be charged at 0.02. |
Registration | Boats are registered with the Department of Finance and Administration for three years, and boats made in 2020 or later are titled. As of October 2026, a boat from 16 feet to under 26 feet is $15, and you'll need proof of paid personal property taxes. Check for current pricing. |
Requirements and regulations may change. Verify with the Arkansas Insurance Department and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for the most current information.
What you need to know about Boat Insurance in Arkansas
Arkansas is one of the few states that requires boat insurance, treats boating while intoxicated the same as drunk driving, and requires you to pull every drain plug before you trailer away from the ramp. Here's what actually shapes your policy.
Arkansas's Boat Insurance Rules
Arkansas requires liability insurance of at least $50,000 per occurrence on every personal watercraft and on motorboats over 50 hp. You'll need proof to register, and you should keep it aboard — on paper or on your phone. If an uninsured boat is in an accident, the owner can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. We'll help you find coverage that meets the requirement and fits how you boat.
Agreed Value for Your Boat
Your bass boat with a bigger outboard, upgraded graphs, and a new trolling motor isn't a stock boat. Roamly works with carriers who may value the work you've put in, not some database guess.
Electronics and Gear Coverage
Fish finders, trolling motors, rods, tackle, and tubes add up fast. Roamly works with carriers who may offer coverage options for marine electronics and the personal gear you bring aboard.
Coverage Lenders and Marinas Ask For
If you finance your boat, your lender will likely require coverage for the boat itself, and many marinas ask for proof of liability coverage before you can rent a slip on Lake Ouachita or Beaver Lake. Roamly works with carriers who may help you meet those requirements, and we'll help you get the paperwork in order.
Protection Beyond Basics
Type | Details |
|---|---|
Mechanical Breakdown Coverage | Engines fail at the worst times — like out on Lake Ouachita, Arkansas' largest lake at 40,000 acres. Through Roamly's carrier partners, coverage may be available to help with sudden mechanical breakdowns beyond warranty. |
Guest Medical Coverage | Summer weekends on Beaver Lake and Lake Hamilton mean friends and family aboard. Roamly works with carriers who may offer medical payments options for guests hurt on your boat. |
Docking Mishaps | Busy ramps and crowded holiday-weekend marinas lead to bumps and scrapes. Through Roamly's carrier partners, coverage may be available for damage from docking mishaps. |
Protect the Gear You Bring Aboard
A day on Bull Shoals or a weekend at Lake Ouachita means a lot of gear on board — rods and reels, tackle, tubes, coolers, and electronics at the helm. Many basic policies limit coverage for personal property, so check yours before your next trip. Roamly works with carriers who may offer coverage options for marine electronics and personal effects like fishing and water sports equipment, which may help you replace what's lost or damaged.
What Arkansas Actually Requires
Arkansas requires liability insurance on personal watercraft and motorboats over 50 hp. Owners must carry at least $50,000 per occurrence and show proof to register. The state also requires a boater education card for anyone born on or after January 1, 1986 who operates a motorboat, sailboat, or PWC; registration with the Department of Finance and Administration; a life jacket on every child 12 and younger; and every drain plug pulled before you trailer your boat away from the ramp. Accidents involving a death, an injury, or more than $2,000 in damage must be reported right away, with a written report within 10 working days. Required liability coverage pays for damage you cause to others, but it doesn't pay to fix or replace your own boat. We'll help you figure out what makes sense for your situation.
Real Value for Upgraded Boats
You set up your boat the way you wanted it: a bigger outboard, upgraded graphs, a new trolling motor, and a better trailer. Book value doesn't account for the upgrades you've added. Roamly works with carriers who offer Agreed Value coverage options — we'll help document your boat so it may be insured for an agreed amount that reflects your upgrades, which may help if you ever need to file a claim.
LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
Roamly is a licensed insurance agency. Insurance policies referenced are offered through Roamly and underwritten by third-party carriers including Progressive, National General, Foremost, Liberty Mutual, American Modern, Ahoy Insurance, and Spinnaker Insurance Company, among others. Not all products or coverages are available in every state. Coverage terms, conditions, limits, deductibles, exclusions, and availability vary by state, carrier, and policy. This page is provided for general information and is not a contract of insurance. See the actual policy for a full description of coverages, terms, and conditions. Arkansas law references current as of October 2026 — confirm current requirements with the Arkansas Insurance Department, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the Department of Finance and Administration.
Why Roamly?
True replacement value
Your boat isn't just worth the Blue Book numbers. We'll find you a policy that insures it for what it's actually worth – including your upgraded electronics.
Real-world coverage
From shallow water prop strikes to dock collisions, we cover the stuff that actually happens to recreational boaters.
Insurance by boaters, for boaters
Our marine specialists actually spend their weekends on the water. They speak your language because they boat too.
Yes, for many boats. Arkansas requires liability insurance of at least $50,000 per occurrence on every personal watercraft and on motorboats over 50 horsepower. You'll need proof to register, and paper or electronic proof should be aboard. If an uninsured boat's operator is in an accident, the owner faces a Class A misdemeanor. Requirements may change — verify with the Arkansas Insurance Department.
If you were born on or after January 1, 1986, yes — to operate any motorboat, including one with only a trolling motor, or a sailboat or PWC. The card is good for life, and you can take a free AGFC class or an approved online course. Operators under 12 need someone 18 or older supervising them on a motorboat of 10 hp or more. On a PWC, operators 12 to 15 need someone 18 or older aboard, those under 12 need someone 21 or older aboard, and PWC rental businesses can't rent to anyone under 18.
It depends on your boat's type, size, value, and horsepower, where you keep and use it, your boating experience, and the coverage you pick. Whether you keep it at a lake marina or on a trailer, how often you're on the water, and adding physical damage coverage or coverage for electronics and gear will change the price. Get a personalized quote to find out your rate.
Roamly is a brokerage — we work with carriers who may offer coverage options for marine electronics like fish finders and trolling motors, plus personal effects like fishing gear and water sports equipment. Limits and eligibility depend on the carrier, so it's worth asking before you buy. Coverage terms, conditions, and availability vary by state and policy.
Roamly works with carriers who offer Agreed Value coverage options. We may help document your boat and its upgrades up front so it can be insured for an agreed amount, not a depreciated book value. If it's totaled, the agreed value — less any deductible — is what the policy is built around. Coverage terms, conditions, and availability vary by state and policy.
Arkansas requires liability coverage of at least $50,000 for personal watercraft and motorboats over 50 hp, but not physical damage coverage. Liability pays for damage you cause to other people and their property — another boat, a dock, or someone hurt in a collision. "Full coverage" usually means adding physical damage coverage, which helps pay to repair or replace your own boat after a collision, theft, vandalism, or storm damage. If you're financing, your lender will likely require it.
Arkansas combines boating and driving while intoxicated in one law, with a 0.08 BAC limit. A first offense brings 24 hours to a year in jail — at least seven days if a passenger under 16 was aboard — a fine of $150 to $1,000, an alcohol education program, and a six-month suspension of your driver's license. Boaters under 21 face a separate underage charge starting at 0.02. If a violation is on your record, Roamly works with carriers that may still be able to help you find coverage. Coverage terms, conditions, and availability vary by state and policy.
It can. Arkansas's credit law expressly covers boat and personal watercraft policies: insurers can't deny, cancel, or non-renew solely on credit, and they must re-score your credit at least every 36 months and when you ask. Your boating experience, your boat, and where you keep it are also major rating factors, and how much each one counts varies by carrier.
Only if it was made in 2020 or later. Arkansas began titling boats manufactured on or after January 1, 2020, and older boats are registration-only. To register, you'll need proof of ownership, proof of insurance for a PWC or a motor over 50 hp, and proof that your county assessed the boat and you paid personal property taxes.
Still have questions?
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Arkansas Boat Insurance Quotes in Minutes
Arkansas boat insurance for boaters who know the water.
* Roamly is an insurance agency, not a carrier. Coverage, limits, and availability vary by carrier and by state, and are subject to underwriting approval.
Roamly Insurance Group, LLC ("Roamly") is a licensed general agent for affiliated and non-affiliated insurance companies. Roamly is licensed as an agency in all states in which products are offered. Roamly license numbers. Availability and qualification for coverage, terms, rates, and discounts may vary by jurisdiction. We do not in any way imply that the materials on the site or products are available in jurisdictions in which we are not licensed to do business or that we are soliciting business in any such jurisdiction. Coverage under your insurance policy is subject to the terms and conditions of that policy and is ultimately the decision of the buyer.
Policies provided by Roamly are underwritten by Spinnaker Insurance Company, Progressive Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Foremost Insurance Company, National General Insurance, and others.
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