Homewoners Insurance

Jet Skis or Wave Runners

Jet ski’s, wave runners or wave riders are the “hot rods” of the boating industry. These watercraft can reach tremendous and can turn on a dime. Some states have banned these types of watercraft from small lakes and some have imposed a minimum age for drivers.

One of the most publicized accidents involving a wave runner happended when a rented wave runner collided with Gloria Estefan’s boat (she is a pop singer). The driver of the wave runner was killed and the passenger injured while there were no injuries on the boat. It was determined that the driver of the wave runner was at-fault.

Most homeowner policies exclude liability for both “owned” and “rented” watercraft, when the horsepower exceeds 50. You should be very careful when renting a jet ski, wave runner or wave rider while on vacation. It is important to double check the horsepower because manufacturers are making them faster and more powerful. Most insurance companies offer the needed liability coverage for on “owned” watercraft for an additional premium. You must contact your agent to add this coverage to your policy.

Most homeowner policies do not exclude coverage for “borrowed watercraft”. However, this is not a possible solution to the insurance problem, because in reality, when would an injured person only sue the borrower and not the owner? The best advice is to seek counsel from your agent if you are considering the purchase or other use of these watercraft.