Boat insurance covers you in the event of a loss or damage to your watercraft. It covers most watercraft with motors, including fishing boats, paddle boats, leisure crafts, even yachts (for you high rollers!). For smaller boats, you may find some limited coverage under your homeowner's policy, so it's best to chat with your Surex Advisor about what you're covered for and what you need to add to your policy when you buy a boat.

No, currently the province of Nova Scotia has not made it mandatory for you to have a pleasure craft operator card (PCOC) to legally operate a motorized boat. But, keep in mind that without insurance you are running the risk of losing everything if an accident should occur. For example, if someone were hurt and you were found to be at fault, you could be sued for liability.

While boat insurance is not mandatory it can cover damage, liability and other unforeseen events.

The amount of boat insurance you will need depends on a number of factors such as the value of the boat, the motor size, the age and how you use it (speed boat vs a pleasure cruiser). For example, if you bought a new high-performance speed boat, you will need more coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability than you would if you had a pleasure cruiser.

The general rule when it comes to figuring out the average boat insurance prices is that you'll pay about 1.5% of the value of your boat in annual rates. So, to insure a boat worth around $50,000, it would cost you only about $750 per year to have it fully insured. Typically it will cost $200-$500 per year.

This is similar to the information you would give out when getting auto insurance, here is the information you would need to provide:

• The length, type and value of your boat
• The condition of the boat and the market value
• How often the boat is used, what it is used for and where you store it
• The waters you take the boat out on and if you ever charter your boat
• The experience, loss and claims history of the owners and/or operators
• Any clubs the owners are members of (Sail Canada, or Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons)

It's best to shop around and compare, and that's exactly what we do for you at Surex! We work with the top insurance companies in Canada to provide you with the best rates for your situation. We can find the right boat insurance in Alberta for you!