Let’s Go Boating!

With the long weekend approaching, we have our fingers crossed for summer weather. There’s nothing more exhilarating than jumping on your boat and going for a ride, the wind in your hair and the crashing of the water hitting hull…life is good!Northern Ontario is a beautiful place to go boating, but before you hit the water there are a few things that you should know. Currently, you’re not required to have insurance on your boat, but do you really want to risk it? What if there was a storm that damaged your boat? You accidentally get into a collision on the water where you find yourself in a huge lawsuit. What if your boat leaks, and all of the sudden you’re handed a hefty bill for the clean-up?Here are a few things you should know about boating insurance in Ontario:1. Larger boats with bigger motors, and personal watercraft vehicles (PWC), i.e. Jet-Ski™ or Seadoo™, insurance is highly recommended. Why? you want to have peace of mind and insurance can protect you incase of the following:-Liability coverage for injury to passengers on board-Damage to the boat, theft or loss of attached equipment-Damage caused by your boat/watercraft on someone else’s property.2. Keep in mind that there are also a wide range of factors that could also affect the type of insurance you have. These can include things like the size of your boat; its value; the lake or location that you use it on; the size of the motor, and more.3. Remember that you need a Pleasure Craft Operators Card (PCOC) to legally operate a motorboat in Canada. Anyone driving a boat without one not only risks a $250 fine, but may also VOID any insurance policy in place.Overall, having insurance coverage on your boat is the best way to be at ease. Insuring your boat is a way of protecting not only your investment, but also the lifestyle that you’ve been enjoying.