Local residents know that one of the best things about living and working in coastal North Carolina is easy access to the gorgeous Atlantic Coast. Boat and watercraft owners look forward to the warmer months when they can take their vessels out to enjoy the soothing Atlantic breezes. 

The insurance experts at Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. in Nashville, NC can help you protect your investment! 

Navigating the Waters of Uncertainty

North Carolina boaters on lakes and coastal waterways can experience mishaps in even the calmest waters, leading to devastating financial losses without insurance coverage. 

Having the right boat insurance policy to cover your vessel can help protect you from the following in North Carolina. 

• Boating Accidents: You may be able to repair or replace your boat when you’ve been in a boating accident on the water or at a dry dock if you have the right boat insurance policy in place. 
• Theft: Boat theft happens. Costs to replace a sailboat, yacht, or watercraft can be astronomical. Boat insurance can help absorb some of these costs when the unthinkable happens. 
• Damage: When unexpected damage happens, comprehensive insurance options can help you cover cosmetic damage to your boat caused by natural disasters like hurricanes and hailstorms. 

When choosing the best boat or watercraft insurance, the waters can seem murky. The best way to learn more about boat insurance is to talk to a North Carolina insurance agent with years of experience.  

North Carolina Boat Insurance Quote

Knowledgeable insurance agents at Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. in Nashville, NC can answer your boating insurance questions and advise on choosing the best policy and add-ons. 

Contact an experienced agent for a free quote today!

You probably don’t need to insure your trailer if you keep your boat in a marina. However, if you keep it at a private dock or moored in the water, you will need to get it covered. Trailers are covered under the same policy as your boat and must be insured at the same level as your boat. 

In most cases, the minimum necessary level of coverage will be a significant amount lower than the value of your trailer. If you keep your trailer in a public or private parking lot with no supervision, you must get it insured. Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. in Nashville, NC can answer any questions. 

How to Go About Boat Trailer Insurance 

Boat trailer insurance is required in most states. In an accident, it can shield you from unanticipated costs and protect you financially. Trailer insurance usually comes as a percentage of the trailer’s value, often between 2 and 5 percent. 

This can be significantly less expensive than insuring a brand new boat. The value of your boat trailer will depend on the trailer’s condition and the condition of the boat that it hauls. You can also add a guaranteed replacement value option to your policy, which will pay out the value of the boat trailer if it is totaled in an accident. 

Most boat owners have their boats covered with a liability policy, but many don’t realize they also need coverage for their trailers, which are often left out. If someone is injured on your boat, they can sue you, and the court will consider the trailer’s value to determine how much they can receive in damages. Though you may not use the trailer often, it is still a necessary piece of equipment for your boat and must be adequately insured. 

The price of this policy will be determined by the business you decide to collaborate with. If the boat is hauled with a trailer, either a flatbed or a car hauler, or keep it on a trailer in case of a flood, it must have adequate insurance coverage. Boat trailers are valuable pieces of equipment, and you don’t want to be left without a way to transport your boat if something happens to the trailer. 

Bottomline 

Most homeowners’ or renters’ insurance policies will not cover your boat if it is damaged beyond repair or stolen. You may need to buy another insurance policy for your boat to protect it in an accident. But for advice in Nashville, NC, call Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc.

People that live in the Nashville, NC area will find the area can be a great place to live during the warm summer months of the year. There are a lot of great recreational waterways in the area, which can make it a top place to own a boat. Anyone that wants to invest in a boat this time of the year also needs to have the right insurance. There are a few situations when this coverage is important to have.

When Trying to Cover Assets

A situation when you should get a boat insurance plan is when you want to cover your asset. If your boat is stolen or damaged in any type of accident, having the right insurance coverage will prove to be very advantageous. With this protection, you will be able to repair or even replace it when incurring certain types of loss.

When Trying to Mitigate Liability Risk

You should also try and get boat insurance if you want to mitigate your liability risk. Those that want to operate a boat are going to take on liability risk on a regular basis. If you cause any type of accident, you will need to cover the associated damages. Fortunately, you will have coverage for this risk with a boat insurance plan. 

As you are looking for a new boat in the Nashville NC area, it would be a good idea for you to call Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. There are a lot of choices that need to be made when you are looking for coverage and Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services Inc. can make it easier for you. When you work with them, they will help you assess all of your options and boat insurance needs and can then help you build an appropriate plan. 

Having boat insurance is vital for protecting the value of your boat. We offer boat insurance policies to Nashville, NC boat owners at Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services, Inc.

Below are three common misconceptions about boat insurance to be aware of to find the right boat insurance policy for your needs.

My boat insurance policy will cover me in any waters all over the world.

One of the most important things to know about boat insurance policies is that their coverage is typically limited to certain geographic regions. For example, a boat insurance provider might limit coverage to within 100 miles of a boat owner’s home port. 

You need to familiarize yourself with any geographical limitations of your boat insurance policy. It’s important to realize that you won’t have any coverage if you travel outside these limits unless you invest in added coverage. 

Boat insurance is unnecessary.

Most states do not require boat insurance by law. However, that doesn’t mean that boat insurance is unnecessary. Boat insurance is essential for protecting the value of your boat.

Without boat insurance, you could quickly lose your boat in the event of an accident. You’d then have to pay out of pocket to replace your boat.

I can use my homeowner’s insurance policy to cover my boat.

A homeowner’s insurance policy will not necessarily cover your boat even when it’s on your property. Your homeowner’s insurance policy is not going to cover your boat when you’re using it off of your property. That’s why it’s so important to invest in a boat insurance policy. 

It’s important to learn as much as you can before you buy boat insurance in Nashville, NC. We can help at Hedgepeth-Hutson Insurance Services, Inc. Get in touch with us for information on our insurance policies.