But unfortunately, boating is not a risk-free activity. There are many types of boating accidents that can result in property damage, a vessel sinking, loss of a motor or other equipment, personal injury, death, or liability for injuries to others. That’s why investing in quality boat insurance is a necessity, not a luxury, when boating on Florida waters.
Common Causes of Boat Accidents
The great majority of boat accidents stem from negligence of one or both of the parties involved. It may have been alcohol-related, a matter of inattention or inexperience, or an accident brought on due to excessive boat speeds or navigating into dangerous waters.
However, many boat accidents are also caused by defectively manufactured or ill-maintained equipment, or from foul weather that suddenly appears after you’re already out on the water.
And don’t forget about accidents that occur while your boat is being hauled on a trailer or even while it’s parked or waiting at a boat dock. You never known where or when or how a boat accident may occur, so you need to be prepared with a broad-based boat insurance policy at all times.
Major Types Of Boating Accidents
We can classify boating accidents according to their results. There are thousands of bodily injuries, dozens of fatalities, and untold numbers of property damage incidents that occur with boats every year. And many boat accidents also result in missing persons or in total loss of a vessel.
But here, we want to run through the major boating accident types in regard to a description of what actually happens during the accident itself:
Collisions: This is the most common type of boat accident out on the water, and it has a high rate of injury and death. The speed of the vessels and the point of impact will greatly influence the level of damage a collision will cause.
Falling overboard: Often, passengers (or even the boat driver) will fall out of the vessel. This obviously presents a danger of drowning, striking underwater objects, or even of hitting the propeller once in the water. Sometimes, the waves caused by high-speed boats passing by may cause someone to fall overboard.
Ejection from the vessel: This occurs when someone is thrust overboard by a sudden stop or speed change of the vessel rather than simply “falling” overboard.
Striking a submerged object: No matter how carefully you steer and how alertly you navigate, the possibility of hitting an underwater object that damages your boat is very real.
Capsizing or sinking: If a boat tips over, gets a hole in it, or otherwise takes in water, sinking and total vessel loss are not uncommon.
Other accident types include: carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution, fire, explosion, grounding, equipment failure, and water ski accidents. While owning a boat can provide a fun and safe past-time for the whole family, accidents do happen and it’s important to be aware of the risks and prepared for the worst.
To learn more about what boat insurance policies can cover, and on how to minimize your risks of boating accidents, contact Flagler County Insurance Agency today!