Boat insurance in Kansas
Kansas doesn't require boat insurance, but your marina or lender might. The cost depends on your boat and its value.
- Does Kansas law require boat insurance?
- NoLenders and marinas can still ask for it
- A $25,000 pontoon here
- $250 to $590 a yearLow-cost state in Progressive's averages
- Registered boats, 2024
- 78,666U.S. Coast Guard count
- Boater education
- Under 21Anyone under 21 has to pass an approved boater education class before running a motor or sail vessel unless supervision is direct and audible.
Sources: ksrevisor.gov, ksoutdoors.gov; U.S. Coast Guard 2024 boating statistics; Progressive state averages.
Want a firm price for a boat kept in Kansas? 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.
If your marina wants proof of coverage, or you simply want your boat protected before the season starts, call us now. Tell us about your boat and we'll find you a price that fits.
Does Kansas require boat insurance?
No. When asked if Kansas boaters must hold liability insurance, the state boating law survey from the U.S. Coast Guard and NASBLA answers "No." As Progressive points out, other parties can still insist on it.
- A marina can ask for liability coverage, which pays out if you injure someone or harm their property.
- A lender can ask for physical damage coverage, which pays to fix or replace the boat you own.
Kansas boating rules to know
Boat registration and boating law enforcement in Kansas fall to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. These Kansas rules are worth knowing before you take your boat out.
- Registration: Any boat powered by a motor or sail has to be registered. The fee is $42.50 no matter the length, and it covers three years. Kansas does not issue boat titles.
- Boater education: Operators under 21 must complete an approved course before running a motor or sail vessel unless someone supervises them directly and audibly.
- Age limits: Children under 12 cannot operate a motorized vessel, jet skis included, without direct and audible supervision.
- Life jackets: Kids 12 and under have to wear one the whole time they are on board, even while anchored.
- Jet skis at night: Riding one from sunset to sunrise is against the law, lights or no lights.
- Alcohol: On the water, .08% blood alcohol counts as legally drunk, and the limit drops to .02% for anyone under 21. Getting convicted can mean a fine, jail time, and losing your right to boat.
Boat insurance cost in Kansas
Kansas sits in Progressive's group of lower-cost states, where a boat policy averaged $307 a year in 2024 to 2025, a figure that covers the whole group, not just Kansas. Our own ballpark estimates for boats kept in Kansas, which are not actual quotes, run from about $140 to $3,000 a year depending on the boat and its value.
| Boat | Value | Estimated cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Jet ski | $14,000 | roughly $140 to $370 |
| Pontoon | $25,000 | roughly $250 to $590 |
| Fishing or bass boat | $40,000 | roughly $400 to $600 |
| Sailboat | $45,000 | roughly $450 to $1,110 |
| Ski, wake or bowrider boat | $50,000 | roughly $500 to $750 |
| Yacht or cruiser | $150,000 | roughly $1,500 to $3,000 |
Tell us about your boat and what it's worth, and call us today. We'll give you a real price, not just a range.
Common questions
How much would insurance be on a $30,000 boat?
By our estimate, a $30,000 pontoon, fishing boat or bowrider kept in Kansas costs about $300 to $590 a year, and a $30,000 sailboat about $370 to $1,110. The boat's age, length and where it is kept move it within that range, so call us for a quote on yours.
Does boat insurance cost more in Kansas City?
Our Kansas estimate uses the same range for a boat kept in Kansas City as for one kept elsewhere in the state, but your actual quote may differ. The lake you use and your own record still move the quote, so call us for a price on your boat.
Which insurer is cheapest or best in Kansas?
There is no single cheapest insurer for everyone in the state; the best price shifts with the boat you own, its value, and the people who drive it. Call us, tell us about your boat, and we'll find you a price that fits.
How often do boating accidents happen in Kansas?
The U.S. Coast Guard reports that Kansas saw 15 recreational boating accidents in 2024, leaving 10 people hurt, nobody killed, and $62,801 in damage to property. Call us to get liability and physical damage coverage for your boat before your next trip.
Boat insurers to compare in Kansas
| 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 Kansas. All insurers side by side
Kansas boating rules an insurer will ask about
| Topic | The rule in Kansas | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boat rentals | Kansas boat liveries have to record every renter's name and address, when the boat leaves, and when it is due back, then save that log for at least six months; this sets no insurance rule. | ksrevisor.gov |
| Boater education | Anyone under 21 has to pass an approved boater education class before running a motor or sail vessel unless supervision is direct and audible. | ksoutdoors.gov |
| Jet ski age | Anyone under 12 cannot run a motorized vessel, including a PWC, unless a supervisor is directly present and can be heard. For ages 12 to 20, unsupervised PWC operation calls for a completed boater education course. People aged 12 to 20 who run a PWC have to pass an approved boater education class to ride unsupervised; otherwise supervision must be direct and audible. | ksoutdoors.gov |
| Registration | Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks requires registration and a number for every boat powered by a gasoline, diesel or electric motor, plus every vessel under sail. Kansas charges $42.50 to register a boat at any length, and each registration lasts three years. To register a boat for the first time, send the form and the $42.50 fee to KDWP by mail. | ksoutdoors.gov |
| Title | Kansas does not issue titles for watercraft, and it neither registers nor titles motors. | ksoutdoors.gov |
| Boating under the influence | In Kansas, a boat operator is legally intoxicated once BAC reaches .08% or more. A boat operator under 21 is legally intoxicated once BAC reaches .02% or more. A BUI conviction carries a fine, imprisonment, or both, plus loss of boating privileges; a test refusal removes boating privileges for three months. | ksoutdoors.gov |
| Who runs boating | The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) registers boats and enforces boating laws. | ksoutdoors.gov |
| Also in this state | Kansas prohibits PWC operation on state waters from sunset to sunrise, even with navigation lights. K.A.R. 115-30-13 requires operators to drain livewells and bilges and pull drain plugs from all vessels before moving on a public highway; this is the aquatic invasive species rule. A child 12 or younger has to keep a life jacket on whenever aboard a boat, even while anchored. | ksoutdoors.gov |
| Accidents reported, 2024 | 15 boating accidents, 0 deaths and 10 people injured, with $62,801 of reported damage. | uscgboating.org |
How Kansas compares with every other state: the boat insurance law table.
Quotes for a boat kept in Kansas
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