Jet skis and personal watercraft: what to know
A jet ski usually needs its own policy, because home policies tend to leave it out. Here's what it covers, who may ride, and what to know about rentals.
Updated
A jet ski usually needs its own policy. Home policies tend to exclude personal watercraft or cover them only in a very limited way, so without a policy written for it, you may have no coverage at all, including if someone gets hurt.
Jet skis are fast, fun and easy to lend to a friend. That last part is exactly why the insurance matters.
Why your home policy probably isn’t enough
When home policies cover boats at all, it’s usually small, slow ones (here’s where a home policy usually stops). A personal watercraft is powerful for its size, and many home policies leave it out entirely, on both sides that matter: damage to the jet ski itself, and liability if you hurt someone.
The liability side is the big one. A collision with a swimmer or another boat can be serious, and it’s the part of the risk you least want to carry yourself.
What a personal watercraft policy usually covers
- Physical damage to the jet ski from a collision, theft, fire or storm.
- Liability for injuries or damage you cause on the water.
- Medical payments for you and your passenger.
- Uninsured boater coverage on many policies, for when the other operator has nothing.
- The trailer, often included or available.
Who’s allowed to ride
This matters for safety, and it matters for insurance, because policies often care about who was operating when something happened.
Florida · Switch to
In Florida
- Minimum age 14 to operate a personal watercraft, and it’s unlawful for an owner to let someone younger drive (Fla. Stat. 327.39).
- Boating safety ID card for anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 operating a vessel of 10 horsepower or more, with some exemptions (Fla. Stat. 327.395).
- Everyone aboard wears a life jacket, and inflatable ones don’t count. If there’s a lanyard engine cutoff, the operator has to wear it.
- No riding at night: not from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.
Illinois · Switch to
In Illinois
- Under 10: may not operate a motorboat, including a personal watercraft.
- Ages 10 and 11: on a motorboat over 10 horsepower (which describes practically every jet ski), only with direct on-board supervision by a parent, guardian, or a designated adult who meets the certificate rule.
- Ages 12 to 17: need a boating safety certificate, or the same on-board supervision.
- Born on or after January 1, 1998: need a boating safety certificate to operate a motorboat over 10 horsepower, including a personal watercraft.
- Owners may not let someone operate who doesn’t meet these rules (625 ILCS 45/5-18).
Lending it to friends
Before you hand over the key, ask yourself two questions. Does your policy cover other people driving it with your permission? And does that person meet the age and education rules? If the answer to either is no, the answer to “can I borrow it?” should be no too.
Renting one on vacation
Florida · Switch to
In Florida, a rental business (the law calls it a livery) has to carry insurance before renting out a jet ski. It must either cover you as the renter or offer you the chance to buy coverage, and if you decline, you’ll be asked to sign a statement saying so (Fla. Stat. 327.54). It can’t rent to anyone under 18, and it must give you instruction before you ride. Read what you’re signing, and ask what the coverage would actually pay for.
Illinois · Switch to
In Illinois, licensed boat liveries must offer short operating and safety instruction to renters who don’t already meet the certificate rules (625 ILCS 45/5-18). Ask the livery what insurance covers you while you ride, and check whether your own policies would apply.
Good to know
- Look for “personal watercraft” in your home policy. It’s often named specifically.
- Check where you ride. Some policies limit coverage to certain waters or seasons, so mention trips before you take them.
- Keep the registration and education card with the jet ski, not at home.
Want me to look at yours?
Tell me what you ride, where you keep it, and who else drives it, and I’ll show you where your current coverage stops and what a personal watercraft policy would add.
Questions people ask
Do I need insurance for a jet ski?
For one you own, a requirement usually comes from a lender or marina rather than a state law, but home policies often exclude personal watercraft, so without a policy of its own you may have no coverage at all.
Does homeowners insurance cover a jet ski?
Usually not, or only in a very limited way. Check the watercraft wording in your home policy.
How old do you have to be to drive a jet ski in Florida?
At least 14 (Fla. Stat. 327.39). Riders born on or after January 1, 1988 also need a boating safety ID card for a vessel of 10 horsepower or more, and rental businesses can't rent to anyone under 18.
Am I covered when I rent a jet ski on vacation?
In Florida, rental businesses must carry insurance and either cover the renter or offer coverage (Fla. Stat. 327.54). Ask what it covers before you sign.