Those who have boats–which is many people in Florida–are typically insured. That gives people peace of mind when they are out boating. But boating accidents happen–especially in Florida. In fact, Florida has the highest number of boating accidents in the United States.
Therefore, it is incredibly important to make sure boaters have excellent insurance coverage in the event of an accident. But what if the person you are in a boating accident with is not insured or is underinsured? Here is what to expect, according to our skilled Hollywood property damage attorneys.
What Is an Uninsured Boater?
An uninsured boater is someone operating a boat who does not have enough insurance to pay out your claim. Generally, this is because the person has failed to purchase liability insurance. Without this insurance, if they have an accident and cause damage, they may not be able to cover the cost of the repairs.
This is why you are advised to not only purchase liability insurance but also what is called uninsured boater insurance.
Common Limitations to Uninsured Boater Insurance
As with other forms of insurance, there are often limitations to the coverage that a Hollywood property damage attorney can explain to you. Some common exclusions include:
Collisions if you contributed to the accident through negligence: If you were distracted and did not see an approaching watercraft when you should have, or did not notice a change in water conditions, you may be subject to certain limitations.
Coverage for non-residents and non-family: You must determine who exactly is covered before you let somebody else operate your watercraft, even just to see how the boat operates for a second. If someone other than you is operating the boat at the time of the accident, there may be no coverage.
Collisions where a covered person hits a government watercraft: Although these watercraft are likely to be insured, one may be left without coverage.
Other Problems With Uninsured Boater Insurance
Another issue that may arise is in cases where the uninsured boat does not physically collide with the insured’s boat. Many insurance provisions only cover accidents if they are caused by a hit-and-run boat.
Suppose you are enjoying the water in your boat when, out of nowhere, a boat approaches at a high rate of speed. In order to avoid a collision, you quickly turn the boat. While you have avoided the collision with the boat, you may end up sustaining damage to the boat in the event that you hit rocks or another boat.
Be sure to see whether the insurance policy has this “hit and run” language. A Hollywood property damage attorney can make sure you understand what the policy is truly saying.
Other Ways to Get Compensated After a Boating Accident
Just because the facts of your accident appear to fall under an exclusion does not mean that you are automatically out of luck. There may be other factors at play in your specific case that you could appeal to in order to get a claim paid out, with the help of a savvy Hollywood property damage attorney.
If the other boater caused the incident because their watercraft malfunctioned–and the malfunction was due to some defect with the boat–then you could potentially go after the product manufacturer.
Get the Help You Need From a Hollywood Property Damage Attorney
Boating insurance policies are notoriously tricky, with claims often denied. Contact an experienced Hollywood boating insurance attorney today.
