Recreation Without Mass Transit – What to Know Before You Yell Bon Voyage

Aug 04, 2020

In the age of COVID, family time increasingly means Web searches for boat insurance and RV insurance. It’s no surprise: When embracing the open water (or the road), it’s easy to practice social distancing. When you’re sailing in Tampa Bay, that feeling of being cooped up dissolves. Likewise, operating an RV means taking your hotel room with you wherever you go. For the stir crazy and those seeking greater quality time with loved ones, boats and RVs have proved a worthy means of escape.

Some elements to consider include:

  • Insurance – Make sure you are properly covered before you embark upon this new family adventure. Boats and RVs have unique requirements for insurance. You’ll want to consider the type of vessel (or size of RV), intended use and more. It’s simple to find a comprehensive quote when you consult an advisor who asks all the right questions. You’ll then be able to hit the road or the Gulf with full security.
  • Skill level – Don’t be cavalier about your ability to operate a water vessel or a massive RV. Boater education courses can be found online (a socially distant plus) and RV tips and tricks can as well. Remember that other elements will need to be mastered as well. For RVS: emptying sewage tanks; for boats: docking protocols. There are more elements to consider, of course.
  • Purchasing or renting? Vacationers seem to be heading to the hills of North Carolina in droves – most in rented RVs. This is a smart strategy. If you can handle the winding roads of the Carolinas and your family members are still speaking to one another after the trip, you may want to consider purchasing an RV. However, if the vehicle breaks down, your family members feel confined and constrained, and you do not enjoy the trip, at least that RV is rented. Give it back – and try boating instead.
  • Chartering a boat may become a necessity as boat inventory decreases. The St. Petersburg Boat show is still scheduling for December, for example, but so many vessels have been purchased lately that dealers are waiting for new production boats to arrive.

Embrace life on the open road or water. It’s one silver lining to come out of the age of COVID-19: this time with family that we can nurture with a new hobby. For insurance answers for recreational vehicles or boat insurance, contact the advisors at W3 Insurance.