New Jersey boat insurance

The Garden State boasts a wealth of locations for boating enthusiasts, from a day on Lake Hopatcong, the largest lake in New Jersey, to excursions at the coastline. Progressive offers customized and affordable protection for you and your boat, on and off the water. Learn about boat insurance in New Jersey, including coverages, discounts, and cost information.

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Do you need boat insurance in New Jersey?

Boat insurance isn't required by New Jersey law, but some marinas may mandate boat liability coverage. In addition, if you lease or finance your watercraft, your lender may require comprehensive and collision coverages for your boat, which may pay to repair or replace your damaged or stolen watercraft.

Coverage	What it covers
Bodily injury and property damage liability	What it coversInjuries you're liable for and damage you cause to another boat or property while boating
Comprehensive	What it coversTheft, vandalism, fire, glass breakage, collisions with animals, and weather-related issues
Collision	What it coversCollisions with another watercraft, docks, or objects

If you own your boat outright and you aren't required to carry liability coverage, protecting your watercraft investment — as well as your assets if you cause an accident on the water — can still be important for boaters in New Jersey.

How much is boat insurance in New Jersey?

In 2023, the average annual cost for a Progressive boat insurance policy in New Jersey was $583.19.^* However, Progressive offers boat insurance in New Jersey for as little as $100/year for a liability-only policy.^** Your cost for boat insurance depends on several factors, such as:

Type of watercraft: From pontoon boats to PWCs, your boat's unique features may influence your rate
Boating experience: Experienced boaters may pay less for boat insurance than boaters new to operating a watercraft
Claims history: If you've filed an insurance claim in the past, regardless of fault, you may pay more for a boat policy
Horsepower: A powerboat with a large engine may cost more to insure than a sailboat with a smaller engine

Boaters in New Jersey can save on boat insurance by bundling insurance policies with Progressive. Get a multi-policy discount when you combine boat insurance with auto, homeowners, renters, RV, or motorcycle.

How to lower the cost of boat insurance in New Jersey

In West Milford, Cape May, or anywhere else in the Garden State, there are multiple ways to attain cheap boat insurance. Progressive lets you start saving immediately with a variety of discounts that can be automatically added to your policy, such as:

Multi-policy
Paid in full
Responsible driver
Safety course
Original owner

Find out more about boat insurance discounts.

What's the best boat insurance in New Jersey?

From Budd Lake to Atlantic City, the best boat insurance policy gives you freedom and peace of mind. Progressive lets you navigate ocean waters within 75 miles of the coast with coverages designed to protect you and your boat. Plus, we don't require a marine survey.

Pro tip:

Auto insurance may pay for injuries or damages you cause while towing your boat trailer, but it won't pay for damage to your trailer. However, a boat insurance policy can pay to repair or replace your damaged boat trailer up to your policy's limits.

Additional boat coverages in New Jersey

Sign & Glide®: If your boat is stuck on the water, Sign & Glide® towing assistance ^†† can help with on-water towing, jump starts, fuel delivery,^† and more.
Propulsion Plus® mechanical breakdown coverage: In the event of a mechanical breakdown, Progressive can pay to repair or replace the lower unit of an outboard motor or the upper and lower units of an inboard/outboard motor (coverage doesn't apply to jet drives or inboard motors).
Wreckage removal: If your boat sinks, we can pay to remove your boat from the water.
Fuel spill: Progressive covers the cost of legally required cleaning that comes with spilled fuel.
Watersport coverage: If your guests are injured from water-tubing, water-skiing, and other related sports, we may cover their medical expenses up to a certain limit.
Fishing equipment or carry-on items: If your fishing equipment or other gear is lost or stolen, you can receive the full replacement cost up to $10,000 for fishing gear, scuba gear, phones, and other items. There's a $1,000 limit per item.

See all Progressive boat insurance coverages.

New Jersey boating information

In addition to being licensed, if you own a boat, most boats must be registered in New Jersey to operate legally on New Jersey waterways.
In New Jersey, all vessels must show navigation lights between sunset and sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility.
As per New Jersey boating regulations, vessels less than 16 feet in length, and all canoes and kayaks, must carry one Type I, II, III, or V Coast Guard approved personal flotation device for each person on board.