Boat & Yacht Insurance in Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Amelia Island

No Florida statute requires a private boat owner to carry insurance and registration asks for none (FS 328.48), but lenders and marinas do. A Jacksonville or St. Augustine owner should carry agreed-value hull coverage, liability sized to the marina contract and a lawsuit, and medical payments for guests.

Boat insurance for Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Amelia Island: 44,000+ registered vessels, FWC accident data, agreed-value hull, liability. Free quote.

Figures reviewed against Florida Statutes and carrier bulletins on September 27, 2026.

Boat insurance in Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Amelia Island

Five Northeast Florida counties registered 73,128 vessels in 2025, 7.1% of the state's fleet, on a river, an intracoastal waterway and an ocean inlet that each produce their own claims.

Jacksonville, the St. Johns River and Mayport

Duval County registered 27,249 vessels in 2025 (26,682 pleasure craft), the most in the region, and FWC issued 1,991 boating safety education cards to Duval boaters that year.

No Florida statute requires a private boat owner to carry insurance and registration asks for none (FS 328.48); lenders and marinas do require it, and rental liveries must carry $500,000 per person and $1 million per event (FS 327.54(7)), a useful benchmark for what the water considers adequate liability.
Duval recorded 13 reportable boating accidents in 2025 with 5 deaths, 3 injuries and $54,400 of property damage (FWC), an accident rate of one per 2,096 registered vessels, better than Florida's one per 1,481; a reportable accident means a death, disappearance, an injury needing treatment beyond first aid, at least $2,000 of damage or a total loss.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 must carry a boating safety education ID card to operate a vessel of 10 horsepower or more (FS 327.395(1)), and boating under the influence is 0.08 (FS 327.35); FWC reports alcohol or drugs played a role in 14% of Florida's fatal boating accidents in 2025 and drowning caused 27 of the state's 51 deaths.
Irma pushed the St. Johns to a record 5.57 feet downtown in 2017 and Nicole put 3.82 feet above mean higher high water on the river at the Buckman Bridge in 2022; a boat on a lift or at a riverfront dock needs a named-storm plan the policy will accept, and hull coverage that survives the surge.

St. Augustine, the Matanzas and the inlet

St. Johns County registered 17,312 vessels in 2025 (16,825 pleasure craft) and Nassau County 7,817; Clay's 13,472 and Flagler's 7,278 complete the region's fleet.

St. Johns County logged 13 reportable accidents in 2025 with no deaths, 8 injuries and $235,500 of property damage, an accident rate of one per 1,332 vessels, slightly worse than the state average; Nassau had 5 accidents and Clay 8 with 2 deaths.
Statewide, 694 reportable accidents killed 51 people and injured 439 in 2025, and FWC estimates up to one million unregistered vessels also use Florida's waters; Monroe County led the state, not Northeast Florida.
Agreed-value hull coverage pays the number on the policy after a total loss; actual cash value pays less every year the boat ages, and a St. Augustine inlet grounding or a Matanzas collision is exactly the loss where the difference shows up.

Registered vessels and reportable boating accidents, 2025 (FLHSMV and FWC)

County	Registered vessels	Reportable accidents	Fatalities	Injuries	Accident rate
Duval	27,249	13	5	3	1 per 2,096 vessels
St. Johns	17,312	13	0	8	1 per 1,332
Clay	13,472	8	2	5	n/a
Nassau	7,817	5	0	1	n/a
Flagler	7,278	5	0	2	n/a
Florida	1,027,742	694	51	439	1 per 1,481

Registrations from FLHSMV's 2025 vessel statistics; accidents from FWC's 2025 Boating Accidents Statistical Report, which counts only reportable accidents (death, disappearance, injury beyond first aid, $2,000 or more of damage, or total loss).

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Data sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a boater card to run a boat in St. Augustine or Jacksonville?

If you were born on or after January 1, 1988, yes: Florida requires a boating safety education identification card, plus photo ID, to operate a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or more (FS 327.395(1)). Exemptions exist for licensed captains, private lakes, newly purchased boats and supervised operation, among others.

How many boating accidents happen in Duval and St. Johns counties?

FWC's 2025 report counted 13 reportable accidents in Duval County with 5 deaths, 3 injuries and $54,400 of property damage, and 13 in St. Johns County with no deaths, 8 injuries and $235,500 of damage. Statewide there were 694 reportable accidents, 51 deaths and 439 injuries, with drowning the leading cause of death.

What counts as a reportable boating accident in Florida?

A reportable accident means a death, disappearance, an injury needing treatment beyond first aid, at least $2,000 of damage or a total loss, so the true number of mishaps is higher than FWC's reported count.

Is boat insurance required in Florida?

No Florida statute requires a private boat owner to carry insurance, and registration asks for none (FS 328.48). Lenders require hull coverage until the loan is paid, and marinas and yacht clubs set their own liability requirements in the slip contract. Even with no requirement, you are liable for injuries and damage you cause.

What does boat insurance cover?

Boat insurance covers physical damage to your boat from collisions, sinking, fire, theft, vandalism, and weather. It includes liability coverage for injuries to passengers and damage to other boats or property. Medical payments cover injured passengers. Most policies include towing and assistance, personal effects coverage (fishing gear, water sports equipment), and fuel spill liability.

What's the difference between agreed value and actual cash value coverage?

Agreed value coverage pays the full insured amount stated in your policy if your boat is a total loss, with no depreciation deducted. Actual cash value pays replacement cost minus depreciation, so you receive less each year as the boat ages. Agreed value costs more. The carrier prices the difference on the boat's age, value and use.

Does my boat insurance cover me in the Bahamas and Caribbean?

It depends on your policy's navigation territory, which varies by insurer. Some policies cover U.S. coastal and inland waters only, some restrict coverage to a set distance from the coast, and others include the Bahamas or add it by endorsement. Verify the navigation limits in writing before you cruise. You may also need foreign liability coverage and cruising permits.

Are my passengers covered if they're injured on my boat?

Yes. Medical payments coverage pays for a passenger's injuries regardless of fault up to the per-person limit you choose, and your liability coverage responds if you are found negligent and sued for more. Family members living in your household are usually excluded from liability coverage and rely on medical payments instead.

How much liability coverage should I carry on my boat in Florida?

The rental livery statute's $500,000 per person and $1 million per event (FS 327.54(7)) is a reasonable floor for a family boat, and an umbrella sits above it. Size the liability limit to a serious injury claim rather than to the marina minimum.

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