Police Boat Insurance

Keeping the waters safe is a tough job for any marine police officer. Many aspects of the job carry an element of risk, from approaching unknown vessels to dealing with intoxicated people and individuals carrying out illegal activities. These situations, coupled with the unpredictability of the water and weather, make the job particularly high-risk.

If you’re part of the water police, police boat insurance is critical as it may help protect you in the case of liability claims. All police officers on land and water are at risk of being blamed for an accident that causes harm or injury. Any person should be able to continue their profession with peace of mind. You can’t do this if you have the threat of a lawsuit hanging over you.

The Water Is a Dangerous Environment

Patrolling the waters isn’t just about ensuring that other boats are operating safely. Many illegal activities occur on the water, such as smuggling, trafficking, unauthorized immigration, and theft. In the fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard reported seizing and disrupting approximately 140,000 kilograms of cocaine. They also intercepted thousands of migrants. The National Insurance Crime Bureau noted 4,461 boat thefts in 2022.

On top of that, boating accidents are frequent and can be very dangerous. In 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard recorded 3,887 incidents in recreational boating. These occurrences resulted in 556 deaths and 2,170 injuries. Additionally, these situations resulted in a whopping $88 million of property damage.

Operator inexperience was the third-highest contributing factor in incidents, present in about 436 cases in 2024. Boaters often receive less training than drivers, and several states do not require boaters to take education courses. Sometimes, boaters may knowingly disobey laws. Navigation rules violations were the fifth most common contributing factor in boating incidents. Alcohol can also create unsafe conditions on the water, and was the primary contributing factor in 244 boating incidents in 2024.

As a marine officer, you have a duty of care toward those operating on the water. You’re often responsible for identifying and stopping unsafe activities, drunk boaters, or even crime that happens in your patrol areas. However, accidents can happen, especially if you’re required to use force. If you cause injury to another person or damage their property, you could be found liable. Marine police insurance is the best way to protect yourself against this potential eventuality.

Ways to Reduce Police Boating Risks

Whether you’re stopping crime or rescuing inexperienced boaters, you face a higher-than-average risk of liability, but there are ways to limit your risks.

Comprehensive Training

Marine patrol officers must have proper skills training tailored to the scenarios they might face on the water. They should know how to operate vessels, navigate, respond to emergencies, and use force effectively. Training may include drills where officers practice real-life scenarios to respond more effectively during everything from high-speed pursuits to rescues.

Clear Policies and Procedures

Besides training officers, coastal police forces should establish standard operating procedures and explain them to their officers. These policies go hand in hand with training, enabling your crews to make decisions more effectively, even in high-stakes situations where they have little time.

Risk Assessment and Planning

Before every patrol or special operation, the force can better prepare by assessing hazards. These situations could include weather, water conditions, and event crowds. Briefings can educate teams about risks before they head out on the water. Crews should also ensure each member has specified roles and responsibilities.

Specialized Insurance Coverage

You can prepare, plan, and train, but unexpected events still happen. Insurance solutions can help protect your boats and officers from liabilities they may face. Regular insurance solutions won’t provide the protection you need because you have unique risks. You can find options customized to your exposures by seeking out specialized solutions.

XINSURANCE: Police Boat Insurance Solutions

XINSURANCE is an insurance brokerage that specializes in identifying solutions for high-risk occupations and activities. Unlike homeowners insurance or typical business policies, which will likely have low limits and many exclusions, XINSURANCE will work to find you the coverage solutions you require.

XINSURANCE is powered by Evolution Insurance Brokers, LC (“EIB”), an excess and surplus lines insurance brokerage. Through our unique “all-in-one” approach, we are able to find coverage solutions even if you’ve been denied coverage by another insurer previously or have a claims history.

XINSURANCE can search for police watercraft insurance solutions that may provide coverage for:

• Asset protection
• Legal liability protection on-duty and off-duty
• Wrongful acts
• Alleged sexual abuse or molestation liability
• Alleged assault and battery liability
• Firearms liability (open and concealed carry)
• Failed CPR
• Income protection when suspended without pay
• True umbrella coverage
• And more

With XINSURANCE, you can get solutions with coverage limits suited to your job as a marine officer. These solutions may help cover legal fees up to policy limits in the case of a covered claim, helping protect you should you be found liable for something you do while carrying out your duties.

Get in Touch With XINSURANCE for Police Boat Insurance Solutions

At XINSURANCE, we’re committed to finding the best coverage solutions for you and your occupation. Policing is an essential job, but it’s only possible if our officers are free to carry out their duties without fear. Being on the water is extra risky, so don’t end up carrying more risk than you need to. If you’re a marine officer without proper liability coverage solutions, get in touch with XINSURANCE for a quote.

Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, President, Chairman, and CEO of XINSURANCE

Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Rick J. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick J. Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick J. Lindsey discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Rick J. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick J. Lindsey to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. XINSURANCE also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are XINSURANCE can help.