Boat insurance in Maryland
You don't have to carry boat insurance under Maryland law, though a lender that financed your boat may insist on coverage.
- Does Maryland 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
- 168,202U.S. Coast Guard count
- Boater education
- Born on or after July 1, 1972If your birth date is July 1, 1972 or later, you need a boating safety education certificate to run any motorized vessel; fines begin at $25.
Sources: insurance.maryland.gov, dnr.maryland.gov; U.S. Coast Guard 2024 boating statistics; Progressive state averages.
Want a firm price for a boat kept in Maryland? 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.
For a $25,000 pontoon based in Maryland, we estimate $480 to $1,250 per year.
Why do Maryland boaters insure anyway?
Maryland's waters are busy, with the U.S. Coast Guard counting 168,202 registered recreational boats here in 2024.
That report also records 112 boating accidents in the state during 2024. They caused six deaths, 72 injuries, and $8,204,921 worth of property damage. Those figures show why it's worth considering coverage, even though Maryland doesn't require it.
In our pricing model, Maryland counts as a coastal storm state. On the coast, a policy here often comes with its own named-storm deductible. Your deductible is the share of a claim you cover before the insurer pays the remainder. The named-storm version kicks in only when damage comes from a hurricane or another named storm. Our hurricane plan worksheet is built around Florida, so use it as a starting point and ask us how a Maryland named-storm deductible would apply to your boat.
Do you need boat insurance in Maryland?
According to the Maryland Insurance Administration, no state law, regulation, or rule makes insurance mandatory for a boat or personal watercraft. Personal watercraft means a jet ski or a similar small vessel you ride on top of.
Lenders play by different rules. When a bank holds the loan on your boat, it can insist on coverage that protects its stake.
Even without an insurance rule, these Maryland boating rules apply to you:
- Boater education: If you were born on or after July 1, 1972, you must hold a certificate of boating safety education before operating any motorized vessel. Fines begin at $25.
- Jet skis: You must be 16 or older to operate one, and you have to wear a life jacket. A boating safety certificate is also required if you were born on or after July 1, 1972. No riding between sunset and sunrise.
- Alcohol: Maryland law treats a blood or breath alcohol reading of 0.08% or higher as operating under the influence.
- Registration: Any boat with a motor that's used mainly in Maryland must be registered with the state's Department of Natural Resources. It costs $70 for two years, regardless of how long the boat is.
- Title and lien: Titling costs $20, and recording a lien runs $15.
- Excise tax: Maryland takes 5% of the purchase price or fair market value. Starting July 1, 2026, the minimum charge is $5 and the most you'll pay is $16,100.
What does Maryland boat insurance cost?
Maryland falls in Progressive's high-cost group of states. In 2024 to 2025, the typical Progressive boat policy in that group ran about $663 a year.
The table shows our estimates for boats kept in Maryland. Treat them as rough figures, not quotes.
| Type of boat | Value | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Jet ski (PWC) | $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 |
Try our three-step price range for a range on your specific boat, and see how we work it out.
Call us now and we'll price your exact boat, so you have a policy in place for your next day on the water and for storm season.
Common questions
What would coverage cost for a $30,000 boat?
It depends on the kind of boat. A $25,000 pontoon runs about $480 to $1,250 a year, and a $40,000 fishing boat about $480 to $1,280, so a $30,000 boat of either type will likely land somewhere near that range. Call us and we'll price yours exactly.
Do pontoons cost less to insure in Maryland than other boats?
Pontoons sit near the low end of our estimates, and only jet skis start lower, at $160 a year.
Can you get free boat insurance in Maryland?
No, there's no free boat insurance, but a jet ski can start around $160 a year. Call us to price coverage for your jet ski and talk through what you need.
Which company offers the cheapest boat insurance in Maryland?
Which insurer is cheapest comes down to your boat, its value, and where it's kept. Call us for prices based on your boat.
Boat insurers to compare in Maryland
| 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 Maryland. All insurers side by side
Maryland boating rules an insurer will ask about
| Topic | The rule in Maryland | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boater education | If your birth date is July 1, 1972 or later, you need a boating safety education certificate to run any motorized vessel; fines begin at $25. | dnr.maryland.gov |
| Jet ski age | You need to be 16 or older to drive a PWC, wear a life jacket, and hold a boating safety certificate if you were born on July 1, 1972 or later. | dnr.maryland.gov |
| Registration | Maryland DNR registers each vessel that uses mechanical power for main or auxiliary propulsion and is operated mostly in Maryland; registration costs $70 for two years no matter the vessel length. | dnr.maryland.gov |
| Title | Maryland DNR charges $20 for a title and $15 for lien recording. | dnr.maryland.gov |
| Boating under the influence | Maryland treats a boat operator as under the influence with a blood or breath alcohol level at or above 0.08%. | boat-ed.com |
| Who runs boating | Boat titling and registration is handled by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Licensing and Registration Service. | dnr.maryland.gov |
| Also in this state | Maryland sets the vessel excise tax at 5% of the price paid or the fair market value for vessels principally used in Maryland. The vessel excise tax starts at a $5 floor and tops out at $16,100 beginning July 1, 2026. Maryland bans riding a PWC from sunset until sunrise. | dnr.maryland.gov |
| Accidents reported, 2024 | 112 boating accidents, 6 deaths and 72 people injured, with $8,204,921 of reported damage. | uscgboating.org |
How Maryland compares with every other state: the boat insurance law table.
Quotes for a boat kept in Maryland
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