If you are looking for boat insurance for your vessel, you definitely want to know if you need a survey to be done. The point you need to understand is that different insurance companies have varying conditions. Some will require that you provide an insurance survey before your vessel can be insured. With others, you may get away without a survey provided your vessel is of a certain age and length. With that being said, the best way to answer the question of do you need a survey for boat insuranceis to speak with your preferred insurance company in Cape Coral.
What is an Insurance Survey?
The boat insurance survey is a series of inspections that are done on a boat to determine its current state. The inspection focuses on both the interior and exterior of the boat. Insurance surveys are mostly requested for older boats. The answer may be yes to the question of do you need a survey for boat insurance if your boat is of a certain value.
When an insurance survey is needed, insurers will mostly suggest that you use a marine surveyor that is accredited. This means not every boat survey report will be accepted. Contact your insurer and ask about the requirements when hiring a surveyor. It is also important to request a list of items that will need to be inspected. This is important because an insurance survey is not as comprehensive as a pre-purchase survey. The insurer will have certain areas they will need to be inspected. Asking for the list of items required in the survey will help save time and money.
A proper insurance survey will include a detailed inspection of the interior and exterior of the boat. The objective is to determine how safe the boat is, how much it is worth and its current state. In most cases, a surveyor will reference oil testing, moisture meter testing and a series of other tests to understand the current condition of the boat. It is also not uncommon for a surveyor to request a sea trial or a haul out.
The majority of insurance companies you will come across will require that you provide a current boat survey. The marine survey is what will help the insurer determine if you are a good fit for the policy they offer. If the survey reveals serious issues, an insurer may elect not to insure your vessel.