Boat Insurance for Washington
Washington boat insurance for boaters who know the water.
From Puget Sound to the 50-mile stretch of Lake Chelan, Roamly works with carriers who understand how Washingtonians actually boat.
Washington at a Glance
Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
Insurance requirement | Not required for most private recreational boats. Buyers of used boats over 35 feet and more than 40 years old must carry at least $300,000 in marine insurance for 12 months. |
Boater education | A Washington Boater Education Card is required to operate a boat with 15 hp or more if you were born after January 1, 1955. No one under 14 may operate a PWC. |
Boating under the influence | Boating under the influence (0.08 BAC or higher, or 5.00 ng/mL of THC) is a gross misdemeanor, and a conviction counts as a prior offense for a later DUI. |
Registration | Boats are titled and registered with the Department of Licensing every year, and all registrations expire June 30. As of October 2026, the state registration fee is $10.50 plus a $5 derelict vessel and invasive species fee and a $1 derelict vessel removal surcharge, and boats also pay an annual excise tax of 0.5% of their value. |
Requirements and regulations may change. Verify with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner and Washington State Parks for the most current information.
What you need to know about Boat Insurance in Washington
Washington doesn't require insurance on most boats, but it does for some older used boats, requires a boater card for most operators born after 1955, and taxes boats every year on their value. Here's what actually shapes your policy.
Washington's Boat Insurance Rules
No Washington law requires insurance on a private recreational boat or personal watercraft. You can still be held responsible for damage or injuries you cause on the water, and marinas and lenders set their own coverage rules. One exception: if you buy a used boat over 35 feet that's more than 40 years old, you must carry at least $300,000 in marine insurance for at least 12 months. We'll help you figure out what makes sense for how you boat.
Agreed Value for Your Boat
Your cabin cruiser with new electronics, a fresh canvas enclosure, and a rebuilt engine 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
Chartplotters, radar, VHF radios, crab pots, and fishing gear 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 Puget Sound or store your boat for the winter. 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 halfway across Puget Sound with the tide running hard. Through Roamly's carrier partners, coverage may be available to help with sudden mechanical breakdowns beyond warranty. |
Guest Medical Coverage | Summer days on Lake Chelan mean friends and family aboard. Roamly works with carriers who may offer medical payments options for guests hurt on your boat. |
Docking Mishaps | Strong currents and busy marinas around the Sound 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 crabbing on Puget Sound or a weekend on Lake Chelan means a lot of gear on board — rods and reels, crab pots, downriggers, 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 Washington Actually Requires
Washington doesn't require insurance on most private recreational boats. What the state does require: a Boater Education Card for anyone born after January 1, 1955 who operates a boat with 15 hp or more; annual registration with the Department of Licensing; a life jacket on every child 12 and under aboard a boat under 19 feet while underway; and cleaning and draining your boat after you take it out of the water. Accidents involving a death, a disappearance, an injury that needs more than first aid, or $2,000 or more in damage must be reported — within 48 hours if someone dies within 24 hours of the accident, is injured, or disappears, and within 10 days otherwise. Going without coverage may be legal, but one collision can mean damage to another boat, a dock, or someone you hurt — and liability alone 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: new electronics, a canvas enclosure, a rebuilt engine, 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. Washington law references current as of October 2026 — confirm current requirements with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Washington State Parks, and the Washington State Department of Licensing.
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.
Not for most boats. Washington law doesn't require insurance on a private recreational boat or personal watercraft. The exception is a used boat over 35 feet that's more than 40 years old: the buyer must carry at least $300,000 in marine insurance for at least 12 months. If you finance your boat or keep it at a marina, your lender or marina will likely require coverage. Requirements may change — verify with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
If you were born after January 1, 1955, yes — to operate a boat with a motor of 15 horsepower or more, you need a Washington Boater Education Card, which costs $10 as of October 2026. Renters who complete the rental company's safety checklist and visitors boating here for 60 consecutive days or less are among the exemptions. No one under 14 may operate a PWC, and PWC can't be rented to anyone under 16.
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 run salt water or stay on lakes, where you moor it, 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 chartplotters and radar, 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.
Washington doesn't require either one. 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.
Operating a boat at 0.08 BAC or higher, with 5.00 ng/mL or more of THC in your blood, or while under the influence of alcohol or any drug is a gross misdemeanor. Refusing a breath test is a civil infraction. A boating conviction doesn't suspend your driver's license, but it counts as a prior offense if you're later charged with DUI on the road. 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. Washington bars insurers from canceling or non-renewing personal insurance based in whole or in part on credit, but its law doesn't name boat policies specifically, 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.
Not very. Since January 1, 2025, boats can't approach within 1,000 yards of Southern Resident killer whales. If you end up within that range, keep your speed at or under 7 knots, and disengage the transmission within 400 yards. Violations can bring a $500 fine plus assessments, so keep an eye out when you're boating on Puget Sound.
Still have questions?
Call us at 877.725.1245
Washington Boat Insurance Quotes in Minutes
Washington 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.
© 2026 Roamly All rights reserved.