Boat Upgrades That May Require More Coverage

Adequate insurance coverage is essential when operating your watercraft. If you have chosen some upgrades for your boat, learn how these modifications may require increased coverage. Then, contact a representative of Ashley Insurance to assist with preparing your insurance policy.

Boat Insurance 

Boat insurance is a type of recreational insurance. It protects a watercraft from damage, vandalism, and burglaries. An individual liability policy will prevent you from incurring costs resulting from a boating accident that was your fault. A comprehensive policy will cover repairs to your boat and any other watercraft involved in an accident with your boat.

New Storage

How you store your boat could influence the type of boat insurance policy you need. Take note of the storage type, plus the location where you store your boat. You will need to supply this information when you speak to an agent who serves Easton, MD.

Modern Lighting

Modern lighting will increase visibility while you are using your watercraft. New lighting could make your boat easier to operate. It may also lessen the possibility of you being involved in a boating accident. After new lighting is installed, the upgrades could influence the type of insurance coverage you need.

Advanced Security

Alarm systems, surveillance equipment, and GPS trackers secure your boat care. Security advancements may qualify you for a discount on your boat insurance policy. 

Contact Ashley Insurance

Whenever you have changes made to your boat, they need to be reported to an agent who serves Easton, MD. By consulting with one of our agents who represent Ashley Insurance, you can obtain the specific type of insurance coverage you need while operating your watercraft.

Why You Need Boat Insurance

You know how much goes into boat ownership if you’re a boat owner. There’s a lot to do to take care of your boat. One of these is to get a boat insurance policy and keep it for as long as you own your boat. Getting a policy as soon as you buy your boat is a good idea. This policy will protect you as well as others. If you don’t yet have a boat policy, call us at Ashley Insurance in Easton, MD. 

Boating Accidents

Like auto accidents, boating accidents are common and can have devastating results. They can cost you massive amounts for the injuries and damages they cause. If you are judged at fault for a boat accident, you are responsible for all those costs plus expenses like lost wages and legal fees. All of this can be extremely difficult to handle financially. The best course of action is to have a boat insurance policy to pay these bills. Paying just the property damage and medical bills alone can be extremely expensive, and there may also be more bills to pay. When you have boat liability coverage, this will pay for an accident you caused, so you won’t have to.

Other Coverage

Like auto insurance, it’s essential to have liability coverage, but that isn’t the only type you need. There are also comprehensive and collision coverages for boats. Comprehensive coverage pays for the problems that happen out of the water. Collision pays for the damage done to your own boat in an accident. Getting both plus liability is the best way to stay protected. 

Get Boat Insurance

If you’re a boater, don’t go without this insurance. To get started, call us at Ashley Insurance in Easton, MD. 

Place to Go Boating in Maryland and Safety Tips

When you live in or near Easton, MD the best places to go boating are on the Tred Avon River, Miles River, or Choptank River.  They are a reasonable distance from Easton.

Whether you’re thinking about buying a boat for fishing or pleasure, the Ashley Insurance Agency in Easton, MA has  insurance that protects you from accidents, liability, equipment damage, and expenses. Boat insurance provides you with peace of mind.

Where To Go Boating In or Near Easton    

There are several boat launch ramps along the Tred Avon River near Easton. The Bellevue Park Boat Launching Ramp near Easton offers docks and 12 parking spaces for boat trailers. Permits must be displayed on vehicles. The Easton Point Boat Launching Ramp runs along the Tred Avon River and offers docks, paved parking for 22 boat trailers, and portable restrooms. Vehicles must have a ramp permit or face limitations on the type of boat that can be launched. The Kingston Boat Launching Ramp in Easton is for smaller boats. It has five paved parking spaces, docks, and a 13-foot launch. 

The Neavitt Landing Boating Ramp is on Broad Creek, which provides access to many points along the Choptank River. It has a wide launching lane, paved parking for 8 boat trailers, and portable restrooms. The Windy Hills Boat Launching Ramp is near the Choptank River, it has a narrow launching ramp, and five paved parking spaces suited to smaller boats.

Wye Landing Boat Launch is a good access point for the Miles River. It has a large parking lot, docks, and portable restrooms. They installed solar lights for the evening in the warm weather. 

Ocean City, about 62 to 72 miles away from Easton has many state parks and beaches that allow boating on the Atlantic Ocean. Our agency can assist with recommending boating locations,  and marinas  depending on where you live, the type of boat,  and how far you want to drive. 

Safety Requirements for Boats In Maryland

Personal floatation devices must be on motorized and unmotorized boats for the safety of passengers, including life jackets and throwable PFDs. Boats must have day and night  distress signals,  lights, fire extinguishers,  ignition safety switches, registration, permit, a certificate for safety courses, ventilation muffler, horn, and license. This depends on the type of commercial boat you operate.

Reach Out To Us!

Contact Ashley Insurance in Easton, MD to learn about the type of boat insurance that can protect your property and family and friends. 

Protect Your Summer Fun with Boat Insurance

Do you love boating during the summer months? Do you have a boat or are you considering the purchase of one? If so, make sure you protect yourself and your loved ones with boat insurance. If you live in or near Easton, MD area, Ashley Insurance can provide you with the coverage you need.

You may wonder why you should insure your boat year-round, rather than during the summer months only. Basically, it may be more expensive to just insure it during the boating season.

Here are some reasons to keep your boat insured year-round:

  • It may be required. If your boat is financed, it is required by lenders to carry insurance year-round. Their investment needs to be protected during the off-season as well.
  • Risk exists out of the water as well. Boat insurance should offer protection from theft, fire, and vandalism, which can happen all year round. These events can occur more likely during the winter months when boatyards are unattended.
  • Even though your boat is in storage, it is still vulnerable to damage from natural disasters such as flooding, fire, and weather events. Having insurance coverage for your boat can prevent you from a huge loss.
  • Your homeowner’s policy covers damage to your boat while it is on your property. The amount of coverage offered is less than what you would receive with a boat insurance policy. Boat insurance typically covers:
    • Collision damage – covers replacement or repair of your boat in the event of a collision.
    • Property damage liability – covers damage to someone else’s boat, dock, or other related structures or property.
    • Bodily injury liability – this covers you in the event you injure another person in a boating accident and are being sued.
    • Comprehensive – covers you if your boat is stolen, damaged, or vandalized in an event other than a collision.
  • Canceling your boat coverage during the winter months and then starting it again before the boating season can be more costly than carrying it all year. Most insurance companies will reward their customers with a reduced deductible for each claim-free year. If a claim is made, you will end up paying the full amount of your deductible. Loyalty discounts are often given for maintaining your coverage and renewing annually.

Get The Right Coverage Today

If you live in or around the Easton, MD area, contact Ashley Insurance and start protecting your boat today.

Is Boat Insurance a Worthwhile Investment?

In these challenging economic times, you are certain to question every item you spend your money on. If you own a boat, you might question whether it’s worth writing a check to your boat insurance company. After all, boat accidents are rare, so the chances of damage or injuries when using your boat aren’t as high as in cars. While there are many excuses you can come up with not to buy boat insurance, at Ashley Insurance in Easton, MD, we always say one thing: buy boat insurance, or you are one calamity away from a financial mess.

If you have trouble writing that boat insurance check, here are reasons why boat insurance is worth every penny.

It protects you against liability claims.

Yes, boating accidents may not be as frequent as car accidents, but when you are at fault for one, it can be the start of your financial ruins. If you cause an accident that leads to bodily injury or property damage, you could be sued, messing up your finances. If you don’t have boat insurance, you will have to settle legal and settlement costs from your pocket.

Protects your boat

Purchasing a boat doesn’t come easy. For many people, it has taken years to accumulate enough savings to purchase a water vessel. For others, they may have taken a loan that will have to be paid over the years. Whatever route you have taken to finance your boat, it’s always a good idea to protect your asset with boat insurance.

Emergency assistance

If your boat breaks down miles away from the shore, it can be panicky and costly to get you to safety. However, if you have the right boat insurance coverage, help is always one call away.

Convinced that boat insurance is a worthwhile investment in Easton, MD? If yes, please get in touch with Ashley Insurance for an affordable quote.

How to determine the amount of boat insurance to buy

Your boat is your ticket to fun water activities and one of the best ways to make priceless memories. That is why you should take your time to select, budget, and buy adequate boat insurance. When considering how much coverage to buy for your watercraft in Easton, MD, Ashley Insurance recommends asking yourself two questions; how do you intend to use the boat, and how much do you have to lose. Let’s discuss these in detail.

How do you intend to use the boat?

How you use your boat determines how much insurance you will need. If you will be using your boat for recreational purposes, it’s obvious that you won’t be in the water all the time but on specific days, especially during summer.  That means you can buy a half policy to protect the boat when in the water and store it when not in use. If you want to fish, you need to get commercial insurance to protect your commercial activities.

What is the cost of your boat?

The size, type, and cost of your boat also come into play. Your insurance company will want to know these details to determine your premium rates. Typically, costly motorboats can be expensive to insure, especially if you’re using them for sporting activities.

How much damage can you do to others?

How often you use your boat plays a significant role in determining the amount of insurance, as it all comes down to damage. If you’re operating your boat every day, you’re at a higher risk of injuring yourself or other people, which can quickly turn into a lawsuit. Lawsuits are quite expensive in Easton, MD. You may want to get enough liability and think about other coverages that protect you and your passengers, such as medical coverages. 

Let us help you

At Ashley Insurance, we care about your financial investment plans. That’s why we help our customers get the best policies they can afford to protect their assets. To learn more about our policies and the entire purchase process, feel free to call us.

Do Maryland residents need boat insurance?

In the Easton, MD area, the nice weather during the summer months of the year makes it a great place to own a boat. If you are a boat owner here, you can have a lot of fun enjoying all the local waterways. While you can have a lot of fun when owning a boat in this area, it is important to remember that it comes with responsibility. One responsibility that you will have is to ensure the boat is properly insured. You will need to have boat insurance here for a few reasons.

Protection for Boat

A common reason to have a boat insurance plan in this area of Maryland is to ensure that you have protection for the boat. Buying a boat and maintaining it the right way requires a big investment. A great way that you can protect this is by getting the right insurance. If you do properly insure the boat, you will have coverage against the risks of theft, vandalism, or other forms of loss. 

Required for Use in Some Areas

It would be best to get insurance for your boat as it may require use in some areas. If you intend to lease a space in a marina, you will likely have insurance requirements that need to be met. Having this coverage provides comfort to the marina and other owners as you will have liability protection if you cause an accident that results in damages. 

As you are looking for a boat insurance plan in the Easton, MD area, it would be helpful to call Ashley Insurance. There are a lot of choices to make when you are looking for boat insurance. The team with Ashley Insurance will help by carefully evaluating your needs and options and providing the support to choose an ideal insurance plan. 

Is Boat Insurance Required in Maryland?

Boat insurance is not a requirement under the state law in Maryland, but there are circumstances in which you may be required to obtain a boat insurance policy. The agents at Ashley Insurance in Easton, MD know and understand the importance of boat insurance and the available coverage options.

If your boat has been used as collateral for a loan or you owe a loan for the boat’s purchase, you will be required by the lender to obtain a boat insurance policy. You may also be required to have a boat insurance policy if the marina where you have your boat docked requires it. Whether you are required to have boat insurance or not, you have invested in your boat and will want to ensure it is protected. There are several coverage options available for your boat insurance policy.

Liability Boat Insurance

If an accident occurs involving your boat, liability insurance will cover injuries sustained by anyone involved in the crash, including passengers on your boat, if it is deemed to be your fault. Liability insurance also covers any property damage that occurs during an accident.

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive coverage is designed to repair or replace your boat if it becomes damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, or a fire or vandalism incident. If your boat or watercraft is stolen, this part of your policy will help you purchase another boat.

Collision Insurance

Collision coverage will help you pay for any damages to your boat or other watercraft if you collide with another boat or an object. For instance, if you hit the dock as you are attempting to park your boat, the collision part of your policy will pay to repair your boat as well as the dock if it is damaged.

 To get your boat insurance policy started today and protect your investment, contact Ashley Insurance agents in Easton, MD to schedule an appointment or to receive a quote.

Reasons You Need Boat Insurance

If you are a boat owner or you are planning to purchase one, you should understand how important it is to protect your possession. The best and most reliable way to do it is to get boat insurance. If you still believe that boat insurance is an unnecessary luxury, here is the list of top reasons why you should have it. 

To Protect The Boat Itself

A boat is not cheap, and for most owners, it is an expensive investment. The purpose of boat insurance is to protect this valuable investment from theft, accidents, vandalism, and breakdowns – whether the boat is in the water, at the dock, or on the trailer. A typical boat insurance policy covers the following things: engines, furnishings, lifesaving equipment, sails, hulls, and covers. 

To Protect Yourself

If you damage another boat or injure another passenger or swimmer while you are using your boar, you will be liable for covering bodily and medical injury costs. If you have boat insurance, it will provide you a defense attorney who will represent you in court. Your insurance company will also pay for all the damages you have caused. 

To Protect The Environment

If your boat sinks to the bottom of the ocean or lake or leaks fuel and oil into the water, you will be responsible for cleanup and removal. It is an expensive and time-consuming process required by law that can put a strain on your budget if you do not have proper insurance. 

If you are from Easton, MD, and you have questions about boat insurance, do not hesitate to contact Ashley Insurance. Our experienced agents will provide you with all the detailed information about this type of policy and help you find perfect insurance coverage for your boat. Call Ashley Insurance serving Easton, MD today to find out about the options available.