Boat Insurance for Utah
Utah boat insurance for boaters who know the water.
From Lake Powell's red-rock canyons to Bear Lake and Flaming Gorge, Roamly works with carriers who understand how Utahns actually boat.
Utah at a Glance
Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
Insurance requirement | Required for personal watercraft and boats over 50 hp: at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries and $15,000 for property damage, or $65,000 combined, with proof aboard. |
Boater education | PWC operators 12 to 17 need a boating safety certificate, and anyone under 16 needs someone 18 or older aboard to run a motorboat. Starting January 1, 2027, every motorboat and sailboat operator must complete a short watercraft operator safety course each calendar year. |
Boating under the influence | Utah applies its DUI law to motorboats, with the country's lowest limit of 0.05 BAC. A first offense brings at least two days in jail or 48 hours of compensatory service and a fine of at least $700. |
Registration | Motorboats and sailboats register every year through the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles. As of October 2026, you'll also pay a 20aquaticinvasivespeciesfee(25 for nonresidents), a uniform fee in place of property tax for boats under 31 feet (based on age or length), and a boating grant tax based on length and age that started January 1, 2026. |
Requirements and regulations may change. Verify with the Utah Insurance Department and the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation for the most current information.
What you need to know about Boat Insurance in Utah
Utah requires liability insurance on PWC and boats over 50 hp, has the country's lowest BUI limit at 0.05, and runs a mandatory quagga mussel program with annual fees, an annual boater course, and inspection stations. Here's what actually shapes your policy.
Utah's Boat Insurance Rules
Utah is one of the few states that requires boat insurance. If you own a personal watercraft of any horsepower or a boat with more than 50 hp, you must carry liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries and $15,000 for property damage, or a $65,000 combined limit, and keep proof aboard. We'll help you find coverage that meets the requirement and fits how you boat.
Agreed Value for Your Boat
Your wake boat with a surf system, a ballast upgrade, and tower speakers 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
Tower speakers, wakeboards, fish finders, rods, and paddleboards 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. 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 deep in a side canyon on Lake Powell, miles from the nearest marina. Through Roamly's carrier partners, coverage may be available to help with sudden mechanical breakdowns beyond warranty. |
Guest Medical Coverage | Summer weekends at Bear Lake and Jordanelle mean friends and family aboard and plenty of time in and out of the water. Roamly works with carriers who may offer medical payments options for guests hurt on your boat. |
Docking Mishaps | Afternoon canyon winds and busy launch ramps 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 houseboat week on Lake Powell or a day at Flaming Gorge means a lot of gear on board — wakeboards, paddleboards, rods and reels, 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 Utah Actually Requires
Utah requires liability insurance on personal watercraft and boats over 50 hp. Owners must carry at least 25,000/50,000/$15,000 or $65,000 combined, affirm that coverage at registration, and keep proof aboard — operating without it is a class C misdemeanor. The state also requires annual registration through the Division of Motor Vehicles; an aquatic invasive species decal and the Mussel-Aware Boater course each year; a stop at every open inspection station when you're hauling a boat; drain plugs out when you leave the water; and a life jacket on every child under 13. Starting January 1, 2027, every motorboat and sailboat operator must also complete a watercraft operator safety course each year. Accidents involving a death, a disappearance, an injury beyond first aid, or more than $2,000 in damage must be reported. 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 surf system, a ballast upgrade, tower speakers, 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. Utah law references current as of October 2026 — confirm current requirements with the Utah Insurance Department, the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, and the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles.
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. Utah requires liability coverage on every personal watercraft, regardless of horsepower, and on boats with more than 50 hp. The minimum is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries and $15,000 for property damage, or a $65,000 combined single limit. You must affirm coverage when you register, carry proof aboard — digital proof counts — and show it when asked. Requirements may change — verify with the Utah Insurance Department.
Not for most adults — yet. Through 2026, Utah requires a boating safety certificate only for PWC operators 12 to 17, and those 12 to 15 also need direct supervision by someone 18 or older. Anyone under 16 needs someone 18 or older aboard to operate a motorboat. Starting January 1, 2027, every motorboat and sailboat operator, regardless of age or residency, must complete a short watercraft operator safety course once each calendar year. Operators 12 and older already must complete the Mussel-Aware Boater course every year.
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 trailer to Lake Powell or keep it near Bear Lake, how you store it over the winter, 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 tower speakers, 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.
Utah requires liability coverage for personal watercraft and boats 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.
Utah treats boating under the influence as DUI, and its 0.05 BAC limit is the lowest in the country. A first offense brings at least two days in jail or 48 hours of compensatory service, a fine of at least $700, and a required screening and education series. Anyone operating a motorboat is deemed to have consented to testing, and refusing a test can revoke your driver's license. 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. Utah limits how insurers use credit for motor vehicle policies, but that law doesn't mention boats, so it's worth asking each carrier how it rates. Your boating experience, your boat, and where you keep it are also major rating factors, and how much each one counts varies by carrier.
Starting January 1, 2027, every motorboat and sailboat operator in Utah — residents and visitors, of any age — must complete a short watercraft operator safety course once each calendar year, and rental businesses must confirm renters have done it or give a state-approved safety briefing. Check the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation for course details before your first trip of the season.
Still have questions?
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Utah Boat Insurance Quotes in Minutes
Utah 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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