Boat insurance in Hawaii
If your boat is 26 feet or longer, Hawaii requires you to carry insurance. Smaller boats usually don't need it.
- Does Hawaii law require boat insurance?
- Yes, for some boatsHawaii makes people owning vessels 26 feet or longer carry $100,000 or more per occurrence to remove and salvage a grounded vessel.
- A $25,000 pontoon here
- $480 to $1,250 a yearHigh-cost state in Progressive's averages
- Registered boats, 2024
- 13,881U.S. Coast Guard count
- Boater education
- Over 10 hpAnyone who operates a recreational motorized vessel powered by more than 10 hp has to pass a boating safety course approved by both NASBLA and the State.
Sources: law.justia.com, dlnr.hawaii.gov; U.S. Coast Guard 2024 boating statistics; Progressive state averages.
Want a firm price for a boat kept in Hawaii? 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.
Our Hawaii estimates range from $160 a year for a $14,000 jet ski to $3,210 for a $150,000 cruiser. Give us the boat, its value, and where you store it, and we will get you a price range.
Why is boating in Hawaii different?
Hawaii falls into the band of states with above-average boat insurance costs. In 2024-2025, the average Progressive yearly policy across that band came to $663.
The state counted 13,881 registered recreational boats in 2024. For that same year, the U.S. Coast Guard records three injuries, one death, and $507,500 in property damage across 11 accidents in Hawaii.
Policies on the coast here frequently include their own deductible for named storms like hurricanes. That deductible is the part you pay out of pocket before the insurer covers the rest of a claim. We are happy to walk you through what it means for your policy.
Hawaii boat insurance requirements
If your boat is 26 feet or longer, you must hold at least $100,000 per occurrence. Under state law, this pays for removing and salvaging a vessel that has run aground. Exactly 26 feet counts too.
For boats shorter than 26 feet, the insurance is only mandatory when the owner has previously grounded a vessel of any size in Hawaii. Per the state boating division, proof is needed when you first register, when you renew or transfer, and any time you are out on state waters.
Hawaii also has boating rules worth knowing:
- Safety course: anyone running a motorized recreational boat with an engine above 10 hp has to finish an approved boating safety course.
- Jet skis: no one under 15 may operate one, and every operator must hold a Thrill Craft Operator Certification.
- Alcohol: the state's boating under the influence law covers vessels and sets the limit at .08 blood or breath alcohol.
- Rentals and tours: permit holders in state small boat harbors need liability cover of $500,000 or more, rising to $750,000 once they carry over 27 passengers.
Not sure which of these applies to you? Call us now, and we'll sort it out with you.
Registration and title costs
Registration and titling are handled by Hawaii's boating and ocean recreation division. These charges sit apart from insurance, and you can find them in the fee schedule.
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Renewal for boats under 20 ft | $20 |
| Renewal for boats 20 ft or longer | $35 |
| First-time registration, 20 ft or longer | $40 |
| Titling a boat with no title when it is renewed past 30 September 2022 | $20, with a $40 late fee added |
Any boat without a federal document that is used mostly in Hawaii has to be titled.
Hawaii boat insurance cost
These figures are estimates, not quotes. They give the yearly range for a boat based in Hawaii.
| Boat | Value | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Jet ski | $14,000 | $160 to $700 |
| Pontoon boat | $25,000 | $480 to $1,250 |
| Fishing or bass boat | $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 |
| Yacht or cruiser | $150,000 | $1,600 to $3,210 |
Call us with your boat's details to get a price, or read how we work it out for the method behind the numbers.
Common questions
What does insurance cost for a $100,000 boat?
A $100,000 boat sits between our $50,000 and $150,000 examples, so expect a price between those ranges. Tell us about your boat and we'll give you a real number.
What would a $30,000 boat cost to insure?
A pontoon valued at $25,000 costs about $480 to $1,250 yearly, while a fishing boat worth $40,000 runs $480 to $1,280. Those examples cannot tell us what a $30,000 boat will cost, so call us with the boat's type, value, and storage location, and we'll price yours.
Boat insurers to compare in Hawaii
| 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 Hawaii. All insurers side by side
Hawaii boating rules an insurer will ask about
| Topic | The rule in Hawaii | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boat rentals | Commercial use permittees located at state small boat harbors carry liability or P&I insurance with a minimum $500,000 combined single limit, and a $750,000 minimum above 27 passengers. | files.hawaii.gov |
| Boater education | Anyone who operates a recreational motorized vessel powered by more than 10 hp has to pass a boating safety course approved by both NASBLA and the State. | dlnr.hawaii.gov |
| Jet ski age | Hawaii bars anyone under 15 from operating a thrill craft (PWC). A thrill craft operator also needs a Thrill Craft Operator Certification, per HAR 13-256-16. | law.cornell.edu, dlnr.hawaii.gov |
| Boating under the influence | Hawaii's OVUII law applies to vessels and sets .08 as the alcohol limit for blood or breath. HRS chapter 291E counts a vessel as a 'vehicle'. | law.justia.com |
| Registration | DOBOR renewal registration costs $20 when a vessel is under 20 ft, or $35 when it is 20 ft and longer. Registering a vessel 20 ft and longer for the first time costs $40. | dlnr.hawaii.gov |
| Title | An undocumented vessel used principally in Hawaii needs a title; if an untitled vessel renews after 30 Sept 2022, the owner pays the $20 title fee plus the $40 late fee. | dlnr.hawaii.gov |
| Who runs boating | The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) registers and titles vessels. | dlnr.hawaii.gov |
| Accidents reported, 2024 | 11 boating accidents, 1 deaths and 3 people injured, with $507,500 of reported damage. | uscgboating.org |
How Hawaii compares with every other state: the boat insurance law table.
Quotes for a boat kept in Hawaii
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