Wisconsin boat insurance

Wisconsin is a boater's dream, offering fishing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, pontooning, and more. If you're sailing on Lake Michigan or catching walleye on Lake Winnebago, you may want insurance for you and your boat. Progressive offers customized and affordable protection on and off the water. Learn about boat insurance in Wisconsin, including coverages, discounts, and cost information.

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Does Wisconsin require boat insurance?

Boat insurance isn't required by Wisconsin law, but some marinas may mandate boat liability coverage. In addition, if you lease or finance your watercraft, your lender may require comprehensive and collision coverages for your boat, which may pay to repair or replace your damaged or stolen watercraft.

Coverage	What it covers
Bodily injury and property damage liability	What it coversInjuries you're liable for and damage you cause to another boat or property while boating
Comprehensive	What it coversTheft, vandalism, fire, glass breakage, collisions with animals, and weather-related issues
Collision	What it coversCollisions with another watercraft, docks, or objects

If you own your boat outright and you aren't required to carry liability coverage, protecting your watercraft investment — as well as your assets if you cause an accident on the water — can still be important for boaters in Wisconsin.

How much is boat insurance in Wisconsin?

In 2023, the average annual cost for a Progressive boat insurance policy in Wisconsin was $261.43^* However, Progressive offers boat insurance in Wisconsin for as little as $100/year for a liability-only policy.^** Your cost for boat insurance depends on several factors, such as:

Type of watercraft: From pontoon boats to PWCs, your boat's unique features may influence your rate.
Boating experience: Experienced boaters may pay less for boat insurance than boaters new to operating a watercraft.
Claims history: If you've filed an insurance claim in the past, regardless of fault, you may pay more for a boat policy.
Horsepower: A powerboat with a large engine may cost more to insure than a sailboat with a smaller engine.

Boaters in Wisconsin can save on boat insurance by bundling insurance policies with Progressive. Get a multi-policy discount when you combine boat insurance with auto, homeowners, renters, RV, or motorcycle.

How to lower the cost of boat insurance in Wisconsin

Whether you live in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, or anywhere in Wisconsin, there are several ways to secure cheap boat insurance in The Badger State. Progressive lets you start saving immediately with a variety of discounts that can be automatically added to your policy, such as:

Multi-policy
Association
Paid in full
Original owner
Safety course

Find out more about boat insurance discounts.

What's the best boat insurance in Wisconsin?

From Kenosha to Racine and throughout Wisconsin, the best boat insurance policy offers you the coverages you need at a price you can afford. Progressive provides inexpensive and reliable protection that's customized to you and your boat. Plus, unlike some boat insurers, we don't require a marine survey to get a policy.

Pro tip:

Auto insurance may pay for injuries or damages you cause while towing your boat trailer, but it won't pay for damage to your trailer. However, a boat insurance policy can pay to repair or replace your damaged boat trailer up to your policy's limits.

Additional boat coverages in Wisconsin

Sign & Glide®: If your boat is stuck on the water, Sign & Glide® towing assistance^†† can help with on-water towing, jump starts, fuel delivery,^† and more.
Propulsion Plus® mechanical breakdown coverage: In the event of a mechanical breakdown, Progressive can pay to repair or replace the lower unit of an outboard motor or the upper and lower units of an inboard/outboard motor (coverage doesn't apply to jet drives or inboard motors).
Wreckage removal: If your boat sinks, we can pay to remove your boat from the water.
Fuel spill: Progressive covers the cost of legally required cleaning that comes with spilled fuel.
Watersport coverage: If your guests are injured from water-tubing, water-skiing, and other related sports, we may cover their medical expenses up to a certain limit.
Fishing equipment or carry-on items: If your fishing equipment or other gear is lost or stolen, you can receive the full replacement cost up to $10,000 for fishing gear, scuba gear, phones, and other items. There's a $1,000 limit per item.

See all Progressive boat insurance coverages.

Wisconsin boating information

You must have a Wisconsin Certificate of Number (registration) and expiration decals to operate a recreational vessel legally.
Boat registration in Wisconsin is valid for three years, beginning on April 1 and expiring on March 31 at the end of each three-year period.
Looking for a fishing spot off the beaten path? Travel Wisconsin shares its ten hidden gem fishing spots in the Badger State.