Accidents happen. And when they are related to your boat, you want to make sure that you are as covered as you can. Including your engine. They are a big part of your vessel. It’s natural wanting to know that you will be able to get a new one if something unexpected happens. So it’s natural —and wise— to wonder if your boat insurance does cover for a blown engine.
Does Boat Insurance Cover a Blown Engine?
The short answer is that it will, as long as your engine didn’t blow because of lack of maintenance or negligence. So if you take care of your boat and your engine, your insurance coverage should pay for your blown engine.
If the engine blows up because of something you could not avoid or escape from, your insurance will probably pay for replacement or repairs. But make sure to check that insurance specifically states that it will cover physical damage to your boat and engine.
If it says that it covers for collision —meaning that your vessel wrecks— and/or comprehensive damage coverage —non-collision-related damage, such as fire, theft, or storm-caused damage— your policy will cover you. But keep in mind that some insurances don’t always pay for the total amount required for your engine repairs or replacement. So it’s a good idea to ask your agent if the policy you pretend to buy will cover the full cost or just a depreciated value —the value your engine or boat had at the moment of the accident.
When your coverage won’t cover for your blown engine
As important to know when you will be covered is to know when you won’t be covered. So if your boat engine blows up for one of the following situations, you might be on your own.
Normal Wear and Tear of the Engine
An engine is composed of several pieces that move and work together. Expecting its component to suffer from some wear and tear is not strange. Still, with proper maintenance, you could delay the wearing. But if an insurance company determines that this is the cause of an accident, they won’t pay the indemnification. Another reason to make regular maintenance to your engine a priority.
Improper Engine Maintenance
Besides doing the general maintenance tasks you should perform in regular intervals, pay attention to pieces and parts that might need to be replaced or repaired. If you notice something isn’t running as smoothly as it should, don’t delay taking care of it. Otherwise, if something happens and the insurance company proves it’s due to lack of maintenance, then again, you are on your own.
Marine Engine Damage due to Zebra Mussels
Zebra mussels are small and invasive mollusks that attach to hard surfaces, including your boat. If they start forming their neighborhood on your engine, it will overheat and, eventually, break down. But since you don’t want that, and definitely don’t want to be left alone with the repair or replacement bill on your own, you can perform —or better ask someone to perform— a simple task. Can you guess what that is? Yes, you got it. Maintenance.
Defective Machinery
Sometimes things just won’t function properly. Sadly, your insurance company won’t care. If you take the boat to a professional inspection, do the regular maintenance, and immediately call the mechanic when you feel something is off with your engine, then you will be able to avoid defective machinery on your boat.
Insurance Companies will do all that is in their power to determine the cause of the accident. If by a small chance, they can say the accident could’ve been avoided or happened due to lack of maintenance, then you will be on your own. So again, it is extremely important, for your and your boat’s safety that you do perform the maintenance tasks to keep your vessel in optimal conditions.
How Often Should I Do Maintenance to My Boat’s Engine?
Now, we talked a lot about maintenance in this post, so how frequently should you do maintenance to your boat’s engine? You should find a schedule with specific tasks in your engine’s owner manual. But if you don’t have it, you can order a paper copy or download it from the manufacturer’s site.
Just so you can have an idea, there are tasks you should do before sailing, others after 20 hours of use, after 50 hours, and after 100 hours. Some of them you will be able to perform on your own. But others, you will need an engineer or mechanic to perform them.
At Royal Marine, we can give you a free quote to assist you with the maintenance tasks you need to do to keep your boat’s engine in excellent condition.
Call us at 619.904.7192 or fill in our form to schedule a visit. A specialist will go to your site and give you a quote on your engine’s maintenance.
