Boat insurance in Rhode Island
Rhode Island does not require boat insurance, but a marina or lender may, and as the owner you can be held liable if your boat hurts someone.
- Does Rhode Island 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
- 37,725U.S. Coast Guard count
- Boater education
- Born on or after Jan 1, 1986; over 10 hpIf you were born on January 1, 1986 or later, you need the boating safety education certificate to run any vessel whose engine tops 10 horsepower.
Sources: webserver.rilegislature.gov, webserver.rilegislature.gov; U.S. Coast Guard 2024 boating statistics; Progressive state averages.
Want a firm price for a boat kept in Rhode Island? 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.
Call us now with your boat, its value and where you keep it, and we'll find cover that fits.
Who may ask you to carry cover?
The state leaves insurance up to you, but two other parties might not. A marina can insist on liability cover, which handles injuries or damage you cause to someone else. A lender can insist on physical damage cover, which pays to fix or replace the boat itself.
Under state law, a vessel owner is also liable for injury or damage that comes from negligent operation of that vessel. That is the reason liability cover is worth having even when no one makes you buy it. Call now and we'll set up liability cover that fits your boat.
Rules for Rhode Island Boaters
Insurance isn't required by Rhode Island law, but registration and boating safety rules still apply, and they're worth knowing before you buy.
- Registration: Every motorized boat, plus any boat over 12 feet, needs registration with the Department of Environmental Management, or DEM. A 16 to 20 foot boat carries a two-year fee of $42, with an extra $5 for renewing online.
- Title: No title is needed for boats of 14 feet or less. A first title with no lien on it costs $25.
- Boating safety certificate: If you were born on or after January 1, 1986, you need one to operate a boat with more than 10 horsepower.
- Jet skis: All operators need a certificate, whatever their age or where they live. Rhode Island has no minimum age.
- Alcohol: Boating under the influence starts at a blood alcohol level of 0.08%. A first offense between 0.08% and under 0.1% is a civil violation with a fine of $100 to $250, and the court can order community service too.
- Sales tax: Boats carry no sales tax in Rhode Island, the only exception being boats purchased before July 29, 1993.
What it costs in Rhode Island
Progressive places Rhode Island among its high-cost states. In 2024 to 2025, the average yearly Progressive boat policy across that group came to $663. What you pay depends on your boat, and the numbers in this table are our estimates, not quotes.
| Watercraft | Estimated yearly cost |
|---|---|
| Jet ski valued at $14,000 | $160 to $700 |
| Pontoon valued at $25,000 | $480 to $1,250 |
| Bass or fishing boat valued at $40,000 | $480 to $1,280 |
| Bowrider, ski or wake boat valued at $50,000 | $500 to $1,280 |
| Sailboat valued at $45,000 | $800 to $2,250 |
| Cruiser or yacht valued at $150,000 | $1,600 to $3,210 |
Use the three-step tool to see an estimated range for your boat, or read how we calculate it.
Coastal storms and your policy
Rhode Island sits in coastal storm country. Coastal policies here frequently include a separate named-storm deductible, meaning the sum you pay out of pocket first if a hurricane damages your boat. Call us before hurricane season to check for a named-storm deductible, or use our hurricane plan worksheet to see what you'd pay if a hurricane hits your boat.
Boating in Rhode Island by the Numbers
Rhode Island recorded 37,725 registered recreational boats in 2024. The U.S. Coast Guard counted 26 reported accidents in the state, which left three people dead, nine hurt, and caused $415,359 in damage to property.
Questions we hear often
What would cover cost for a $100,000 boat?
A $100,000 boat is not part of our estimates. Tell us what kind of boat you have and where you keep it, and we'll help you find a range that fits.
How much does boat insurance usually cost?
In high-cost states like Rhode Island, Progressive's average yearly policy ran $663 in 2024 to 2025. What you actually pay may be higher or lower.
How much is pontoon boat insurance in Rhode Island?
A $25,000 pontoon here is estimated to cost about $480 to $1,250 a year to insure. Marinas can require liability cover, so call us and we'll help you get it in place.
Which Rhode Island insurer is cheapest or best?
Which option costs least depends on the boat you own, its value, and the place you keep it. Call now and we will compare the choices for your situation.
Boat insurers to compare in Rhode Island
| 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 Rhode Island. All insurers side by side
Rhode Island boating rules an insurer will ask about
| Topic | The rule in Rhode Island | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Also in this state | Rhode Island holds vessel owners responsible when negligent operation of their boat injures someone or damages property, so liability cover matters. Rhode Island does not charge sales tax on boats, except a boat purchased before July 29, 1993. | webserver.rilegislature.gov, dem.ri.gov |
| Boater education | If you were born on January 1, 1986 or later, you need the boating safety education certificate to run any vessel whose engine tops 10 horsepower. Anyone who operates a personal watercraft (jet ski) must hold a boating safety certificate, whatever their age or residency. | webserver.rilegislature.gov, dem.ri.gov |
| Jet ski age | Rhode Island has no minimum age for PWC operation, according to the USCG/NASBLA survey; even so, every PWC operator needs a boating safety certificate. | uscgboating.org |
| Registration | Every motorized boat, and any boat over 12 feet long whatever the propulsion, needs registration with RI DEM. Owners of 16 to 20 foot boats pay a statutory two-year (biennial) registration fee of $42, and renewing online adds an enhanced access fee of $5. | dem.ri.gov |
| Title | Rhode Island titles boats. A vessel measuring 14 feet or less is exempt, and an initial title with no lien costs $25. | dem.ri.gov |
| Boating under the influence | You are boating under the influence if you run a watercraft while your blood alcohol level is at or above 0.08%. For a first offense from 0.08% to under 0.1%, the violation is civil, with a fine of $100 to $250 and community service possible. | webserver.rilegislature.gov |
| Who runs boating | The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) registers and titles boats and runs boating safety certification. | dem.ri.gov |
| Accidents reported, 2024 | 26 boating accidents, 3 deaths and 9 people injured, with $415,359 of reported damage. | uscgboating.org |
How Rhode Island compares with every other state: the boat insurance law table.
Quotes for a boat kept in Rhode Island
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