Boat insurance in New Hampshire
New Hampshire law does not make boat insurance mandatory, and coverage in this state often runs only a few hundred dollars annually.
- Does New Hampshire 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
- 102,728U.S. Coast Guard count
- Boater education
- Required for motors over 25 hpYou need a boating safety education certificate to run a motorized vessel on New Hampshire public waters if the motor is over 25 horsepower.
Sources: gc.nh.gov, gc.nh.gov; U.S. Coast Guard 2024 boating statistics; Progressive state averages.
Want a firm price for a boat kept in New Hampshire? 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
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Why owners here still insure their boats
The U.S. Coast Guard counted 102,728 registered recreational boats in 2024 in this state. During that year the state recorded 49 boating accidents, 3 deaths, 6 injuries, and $371,642 in property damage.
One accident can mean big repair bills or a claim from someone else, and a policy that often costs a few hundred dollars a year can help cover that.
Does New Hampshire make boaters buy insurance?
No state law forces boaters to buy a policy. A state boating law survey from the U.S. Coast Guard and NASBLA says "No" when asked whether New Hampshire mandates liability insurance. Liability coverage pays when you hurt someone else or damage their property.
The state does set other rules for boaters:
- Education: If your boat has a motor over 25 horsepower, you need a boating safety education certificate to run it on New Hampshire public waters. Certificates go to people 16 or older, and anyone 16 or older who passes a temporary exam can get a 14-day temporary certificate.
- Jet skis: You must be 16 or older to operate one, and riding between sunset and sunrise is not permitted.
- Alcohol: It is illegal to run any boat while impaired or at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher; for anyone under 21, the limit drops to 0.02.
- Speed on Lake Winnipesaukee: On Lake Winnipesaukee, speeds above 45 mph by day or 30 mph at night are presumed unreasonable and unlawful under state law.
Enforcement of these rules falls to the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol.
What does boat insurance cost in New Hampshire, by type of boat?
New Hampshire sits in Progressive's low-cost group of states; the typical annual boat policy there ran $307 in 2024 to 2025. Below are our own figures for boats kept in this state. Please treat them as rough estimates, not quotes.
| Kind of boat | What it's worth | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Jet ski (personal watercraft) | $14,000 | $140 to $370 |
| Pontoon boat | $25,000 | $250 to $590 |
| Fishing or bass boat | $40,000 | $400 to $600 |
| Sailboats | $45,000 | $450 to $1,110 |
| Wake, ski, or bowrider boat | $50,000 | $500 to $750 |
| Yacht or cruiser | $150,000 | $1,500 to $3,000 |
Your deductible is what you pay out of pocket before the policy covers the remainder. If your boat lives on the coast, your policy will often have a separate deductible for hurricanes and other named storms, and our hurricane plan worksheet can help you plan for it.
Tell us what you run and where you keep it, and we'll give you a price on the call.
Boat registration, fees, and titles
Boats used on any New Hampshire public waters, whether tidal, coastal, or inland, need to be registered with the DMV unless an exemption applies. All registrations expire each December 31.
| Length of boat | State registration fee (base) |
|---|---|
| 16 feet and under | $24 |
| Over 16 and up to 21 feet | $34 |
| 45.1 feet or longer | $92 |
These are the base fees from RSA 270-E:5 for the sizes listed, so for a boat between 21 and 45 feet, check with the DMV for your exact fee. Registered boats must also display a boat fee decal; $12.50 from that fee supports the lake restoration and preservation fund.
Questions we hear often
What does insurance cost for a $30,000 boat?
That depends on the boat type, since a jet ski worth $30,000 and a sailboat worth the same amount carry different costs. Our three-step price range gives a range for your own boat type and value, and you can read how we work it out.
Do boats need titles in New Hampshire?
No. The state only registers boats; it does not issue titles for them.
Which company has the cheapest boat insurance?
Prices vary from one boat to the next, so the company that is cheapest for another owner might not be cheapest for you. An approved safe boater course may help with the price: RSA 270-D:18 lets the insurance commissioner require certain insurers to offer a discount on boat liability coverage for operators who finished the course. Call us and we can compare prices for your boat.
Boat insurers to compare in New Hampshire
| 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 New Hampshire. All insurers side by side
New Hampshire boating rules an insurer will ask about
| Topic | The rule in New Hampshire | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Also in this state | Under RSA 270-D:18, the insurance commissioner can require admitted insurers to lower vessel liability insurance premiums for operators who passed an approved safe boater course. Every registered vessel also needs a boat fee decal, and the lake restoration and preservation fund gets $12.50 from that decal fee. On Lake Winnipesaukee, a speed over 30 mph at night, or over 45 mph by day, is prima facie unlawful and unreasonable (RSA 270-D:2, X). | gc.nh.gov |
| Boater education | You need a boating safety education certificate to run a motorized vessel on New Hampshire public waters if the motor is over 25 horsepower. The safe boater education certificate goes to people 16 or older, and people 16 or older can also get a 14-day temporary certificate by passing a temporary exam. | gc.nh.gov |
| Jet ski age | A ski craft (jet ski) operator on any lake, on any pond, or on any river has to be 16 or older, and no one may use a ski craft between sunset and sunrise. USCG/NASBLA survey: ski craft drivers need to be 16 or older, and under-16 riders on other PWC need an adult with them. | gc.nh.gov, uscgboating.org |
| Registration | Unless exempt, any boat used on New Hampshire public waters needs DMV registration. This includes tidal waters, coastal waters, and inland waters; registrations expire December 31. Under RSA 270-E:5, the state's base vessel registration fee is $34 for a boat measuring 16.1 to 21 feet, $24 for one up to 16 ft, and $92 at 45.1 ft or more. | dmv.nh.gov, gc.nh.gov |
| Title | New Hampshire is registration-only for boats: the state registers them and does not title them. | naults.com |
| Boating under the influence | No one may run a boat while impaired, and no one may run one with a blood alcohol level at or above 0.08, or 0.02 for anyone under 21. | gc.nh.gov |
| Who runs boating | Boating laws are enforced by the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol; boats are registered by the NH Division of Motor Vehicles. | nhsp.dos.nh.gov |
| Accidents reported, 2024 | 49 boating accidents, 3 deaths and 6 people injured, with $371,642 of reported damage. | uscgboating.org |
How New Hampshire compares with every other state: the boat insurance law table.
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