Personal Insurance

Recreational Insurance

Q: Isn't my boat already covered by my homeowners policy?

Only barely. Most homeowners policies include a small amount of coverage for very small boats and low-horsepower motors, and many provide no liability at all once you are on the water. Anything larger than a jon boat with a trolling motor deserves its own policy.

Q: Do I need insurance for my ATV or side-by-side?

Ohio does not require it for off-road use, but the exposure is real. Homeowners policies usually stop covering these machines once they leave your property, and a trail or roadway injury claim can be significant. A separate policy covers both the machine and the liability.

Q: What is agreed value and why does it matter for a classic car?

Collector vehicles appreciate while standard policies pay depreciated value. With agreed value you and the carrier settle on the number up front, usually supported by documentation, and that is what gets paid on a total loss — no argument at the worst possible time.

Q: Can I insure my RV while I live in it full time?

Yes, but it needs full-timer's coverage. Standard RV policies assume the unit is a vacation vehicle and a house exists somewhere else. Full-timer's coverage adds the personal liability and personal property protection a homeowners policy would normally provide.

Q: Do I need golf cart insurance?

If the cart never leaves your property, homeowners coverage may be adequate. Once it crosses a public street, is used in a community with rules about it, or is street-modified, it usually needs its own liability coverage. Many neighborhoods and clubs now require proof.

Q: Can I drop coverage over the winter?

We generally recommend a lay-up credit rather than cancelling. Fire, theft and storm damage happen in storage, and cancelling and rewriting each season can cost you continuous-coverage credit and complicate the next renewal.

Boats, campers, RVs, motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts and collector cars — insured for how you actually use them.

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Recreational Insurance from STF Insurance Group

Ohio watercraftNot state-required; marinas often are

MotorcyclesLiability required, same as a car

Common gapOff-premises ATV and golf cart use

Overview

What recreational insurance does

Homeowners and auto policies were not written for a pontoon on the lake, a fifth wheel headed south for the winter, or a side-by-side on a trail. Most give you very little coverage once the toy leaves your driveway, and almost none for the liability that comes with operating it.

A recreational policy puts physical damage, liability and medical coverage where they belong, and it usually costs far less than people expect — many units are seasonal, and premiums reflect that. If you own several, we can often schedule them together and pick up a multi-unit credit.

We also handle the details that matter on these policies: agreed value on a restored classic, personal effects for the fishing gear on the boat, campsite liability for the RV, and lay-up periods so you are not paying full freight for a machine sitting in a shed in January.

What's typically included

The parts of a recreational policy

Every carrier words things a little differently, but nearly all recreational insurance policies are built from these pieces. Knowing what each one does makes it much easier to tell a good quote from a cheap one.

Liability

Covers injuries or property damage you cause while operating the unit — including the legal defense, which on a serious water or trail incident can be the largest cost of all.

Comprehensive & Collision

Repairs or replaces your unit after a collision, fire, theft, storm damage, vandalism or sinking, minus your deductible.

Uninsured & Underinsured Boater or Motorist

Pays for your injuries when the other operator carries no insurance or not enough of it. On the water and on a motorcycle this is a very real possibility.

Medical Payments

Pays medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of who was at fault, usually with no deductible.

Trailer Coverage

Insures the trailer that hauls the boat, the side-by-side or the motorcycle, which is separate property and frequently forgotten.

Roadside & On-Water Towing

Pays for towing, jump starts and on-water assistance — a single tow back to the ramp can cost more than the coverage does for the year.

Worth asking about

Add-ons and endorsements

These are not on every policy by default. Some cost a few dollars a year, and they are frequently the difference between a claim that is covered and one that is not.

Agreed Value / Total Loss Replacement

Pays an amount you and the carrier agree on in advance rather than a depreciated value. Standard on collector cars and common on newer boats and RVs.

Personal Effects

Covers fishing gear, water sports equipment, camping supplies, clothing and electronics kept in or on the unit.

Full-Timer's Coverage

Adds homeowners-style liability and personal property for people who live in an RV full time rather than travelling in it seasonally.

Vacation & Campsite Liability

Covers injuries that happen at your campsite while the RV is parked and set up, which the driving liability does not address.

Fuel Spill & Wreckage Removal

Covers the legally required cleanup and removal costs after a covered watercraft loss — an obligation that exists whether or not you can afford it.

Custom Parts & Accessories

Insures aftermarket exhaust, wheels, tops, lifts, audio, wraps and other upgrades that a base policy values at zero.

Extended Navigation & Travel Territory

Extends coverage beyond the standard navigational or geographic limits for longer trips.

Lay-Up & Storage Credits

Reduces premium during the months the unit is stored while keeping comprehensive coverage in place for fire and theft.

Ways to save

Discounts we look for on every quote

Price should never be the only reason to pick a policy, but there is no reason to overpay for the coverage you want. These are the credits we check before we present anything to you.

See What You'd Pay

Multi-unit and multi-policy discounts
Boating safety and rider training course completion
Lay-up periods during seasonal storage
Higher deductibles on physical damage
Storing units in a locked, enclosed building
Clean operating record and years of experience credits

Recreational Insurance coverage from STF Insurance Group

Common questions