Boat insurance in California
California does not make insurance a legal requirement for a recreational boat, yet a policy still covers damage, theft, and injuries that could run well past the cost of a year's cover.
- Does California law require boat insurance?
- NoLenders and marinas can still ask for it
- A $25,000 pontoon here
- $480 to $1,250 a yearHigh-cost state in Progressive's averages
- Registered boats, 2024
- 596,703U.S. Coast Guard count
- Boater education
- All ages, from Jan 1, 2025Starting January 1, 2025, anyone who operates a motorized vessel needs a California Boater Card, no matter their age.
Sources: dbw.parks.ca.gov, dbw.parks.ca.gov; U.S. Coast Guard 2024 boating statistics; Progressive state averages.
Want a firm price for a boat kept in California? Send a quote request or call +1 (833) 721-5475.
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What kind of boat?
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What you paid, or what boats like it sell for. A rough figure is fine.
Type the value in dollars, between $500 and $5,000,000.
An estimate, not a quote. How we work it out
The line reaches Boat Insurance Compare. Have the boat, its value and your state ready.
Rather have it in writing? Send a quote request with the answers you just gave.
We can work out a price range for your boat and walk you through comparing quotes. Give us a call and tell us what you own.
The California boating picture in brief
California's waters are busy. The U.S. Coast Guard recorded 596,703 registered recreational boats in 2024. Over that same year, the state logged 377 accidents on the water, with 45 lives lost, 203 people hurt, and property damage adding up to $6,588,237.
Figures like these explain why plenty of owners choose cover even though the law never asks for it. A single accident can easily outstrip what a year of insurance costs.
What California law says about boat insurance?
State law does not make boat insurance compulsory when a boat is used for pleasure instead of business. That changes once you carry passengers for money. Anyone running a for-hire boat has to hold liability insurance covering bodily injury, death, and property damage. Liability cover pays when you hurt someone else or damage their property. How much you need at minimum comes down to the boat's seat count.
Owning and operating a boat in California brings other rules too:
- Boater Card: Since January 1, 2025, anyone operating a motorized boat must have a California Boater Card, no matter their age.
- Age for bigger motors: Running a boat or jet ski with an engine of 15 horsepower or more means you have to be at least 16 and carry the card. Kids aged 12 to 15 can take the wheel only if a card holder who is 18 or older is aboard.
- Registration: The DMV registers all motorized boats of any size, plus every sailboat longer than 8 feet.
- Mussel Fee sticker: Freshwater boats carry this sticker next to the registration sticker, and the money goes toward stopping invasive mussels. The fee is $16 at renewal. Boats that stay in salt water are exempt.
- Alcohol: Operating a pleasure craft with a blood alcohol reading of 0.08% or higher is against the law.
Registration sits with the DMV. Safety, the Boater Card, and accident reports sit with the Division of Boating and Waterways.
What does California boat insurance cost?
California falls within Progressive's group of high-cost states, where the average Progressive boat policy ran $663 a year across 2024 to 2025. What you pay personally hinges mainly on your boat's type and value.
Here are our estimates for boats kept in California. Treat these figures as estimates only, never as quotes.
| Boat type | Typical value | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Personal watercraft (jet ski) | $14,000 | $160 to $700 |
| Pontoon boat | $25,000 | $480 to $1,250 |
| Fishing boat (bass) | $40,000 | $480 to $1,280 |
| Sailing boat | $45,000 | $800 to $2,250 |
| Ski, wake, or bowrider boat | $50,000 | $500 to $1,280 |
| Cruiser / yacht | $150,000 | $1,600 to $3,210 |
The three-step pricing method we use produces a range tailored to your own boat. You can also see how we work out these figures. If you want an actual quote, call us with the boat's type, value, and where it is kept.
Reporting a boat accident in California
An accident must be reported to the Division of Boating and Waterways when it involves a death, a disappearance, an injury needing more than first aid, damage over $500, or a boat being a total loss. Passing $500 in damage happens fast, even from a minor knock at the marina.
Questions we hear often
What does insurance cost for a $20,000 boat?
The closest figure we have is for a $25,000 pontoon, which runs $480 to $1,250 per year, and a $20,000 boat of a similar kind would usually land close to that range. The kind of boat matters as much as its price tag.
What about cover for a $100,000 boat?
Our estimate for a $150,000 cruiser or yacht is $1,600 to $3,210 a year, so a $100,000 boat would normally come in under that, depending on the kind of boat.
Which insurer is cheapest in California?
There is no one company that comes out cheapest for all boats. Different insurers can price the very same boat quite differently, which makes comparing quotes the surest route to the lowest price. Call us and we will do that comparison for you.
What should I have when buying a second-hand boat?
California's version of a boat title is the Certificate of Ownership. Get the seller to sign it, and any lender with an outstanding loan on the boat needs to sign as well. Registering for the first time costs $29.
Boat insurers to compare in California
| Insurer | Policy issued by | Payout after a loss | Towing on the water |
|---|---|---|---|
 Progressive | Progressive | Partial losses paid at full replacement cost with comprehensive and collision | Sign & Glide on-water towing, optional |
 BoatUS | GEICO Marine | Agreed hull value (except PWC) or actual cash value | TowBoatUS add-on starting at $3 a month |
 GEICO | GEICO Marine Insurance Company | Choice of agreed hull value or actual cash value | Add-on through BoatUS, 24/7 |
 State Farm | State Farm Fire and Casualty | Total loss paid at agreed value; repairs at replacement cost | Emergency service covered |
 Allstate | Allstate | Agreed value available | Emergency services covered up to $100 |
 Markel | Markel American | Agreed value; actual cash value available on yachts | Emergency towing offered |
What each insurer publishes about its own policy; each confirms on the quote that it writes your boat in California. All insurers side by side
California boating rules an insurer will ask about
| Topic | The rule in California | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boat rentals | Anyone who runs a for-hire (passenger-carrying) vessel has to hold liability coverage for death, bodily injury, and damage to property; the minimums vary with seating capacity. | dbw.parks.ca.gov |
| Boater education | Starting January 1, 2025, anyone who operates a motorized vessel needs a California Boater Card, no matter their age. | dbw.parks.ca.gov |
| Jet ski age | To run a vessel with a motor of 15 hp or greater, including PWCs, a person has to be at least 16 and have a California Boater Card. Someone 12 to 15 can run these vessels, including PWCs, only when a card-holder 18 or older is on board supervising. | parks.ca.gov |
| Registration | The California DMV handles boat registration: all motorized boats regardless of size, plus any sailboat longer than 8 feet, need registration. Residents pay $29 for an original vessel registration and $20 for each biennial renewal. | dmv.ca.gov |
| Title | For registered vessels, California provides the Certificate of Ownership (title); the buyer should have the seller plus each lienholder sign it. | dmv.ca.gov |
| Boating under the influence | The law bars running a recreational vessel at a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or higher; for non-recreational vessels, the limit is 0.04%. | law.justia.com |
| Who runs boating | Boating safety, the Boater Card and accident reports are handled by the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW); registration is handled by the DMV. | dbw.parks.ca.gov |
| Also in this state | A DMV-registered vessel used in fresh water has to show its own Mussel Fee (quagga/zebra mussel) sticker beside the registration sticker. At renewal the mussel fee comes to $16 (and for odd-year originals); a vessel used solely in marine waters is exempt. Report boat accidents to DBW when they cause death, a disappearance, an injury needing care beyond first aid, damage above $500, or complete loss of a vessel. | dbw.parks.ca.gov, dmv.ca.gov |
| Accidents reported, 2024 | 377 boating accidents, 45 deaths and 203 people injured, with $6,588,237 of reported damage. | uscgboating.org |
How California compares with every other state: the boat insurance law table.
Quotes for a boat kept in California
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