Boat transport insurance is the question most owners ask last and should ask first. Before a truck ever backs up to your trailer or cradle, you want to know who is responsible for the boat on the highway, what paperwork proves it, and how the condition of the hull gets recorded at pickup and delivery. This Guide from Boat Transport Near Me (Logi Transports LLC, Sebastian, FL) walks through certificates of insurance, the bill of lading, the inspection walk-around, and what to do if something arrives damaged.
It is not legal or insurance advice. Policies differ, and your own marine insurer is the final word on what your policy covers while the boat is off the water. The goal here is to help you ask the right questions and keep the right records.
Why Boat Transport Insurance Deserves Its Own Checklist
Many owners assume every licensed trucking company must carry cargo coverage for the freight it hauls. Federally, that is not the case for most loads. The FMCSA insurance filing requirements chart lists a $0 federal cargo insurance requirement for for-hire non-hazardous property carriers. Mandatory cargo filings apply to household goods carriers, not to a carrier moving your center console or sailboat. What every for-hire carrier does have to file is public liability (bodily injury and property damage) coverage, which protects the public, not the cargo on the trailer.
In practice, reputable boat haulers carry motor truck cargo insurance because shippers, dealers, and brokers require it. But the federal record will not show you the limit or the deductible. You have to ask for it.
Three layers of coverage to understand
| Coverage | Who holds it | What it is for | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto liability (BIPD) | Motor carrier | Injury or property damage to others caused by the truck | Filed with FMCSA; visible in the carrier’s public records |
| Motor truck cargo | Motor carrier (by contract, not federal mandate for boats) | Loss or damage to the boat while in the carrier’s care | Certificate of insurance sent by the carrier’s insurance agent |
| Your marine / yacht policy | Boat owner | Your hull coverage; may or may not extend to overland transit | Call your insurer and ask about transit coverage before booking |
| Broker surety bond | Freight broker | Financial responsibility of the broker (FMCSA lists $75,000) | Broker authority and bond status in FMCSA records |
Note the last row: a broker’s bond is a financial responsibility requirement for the broker. It is not cargo insurance for your hull. The carrier’s cargo policy and your own marine policy are where damage coverage normally lives.
Verify the Carrier Before Pickup Day
BoatUS has given owners a simple rule, quoted in Cruising World’s tips on trucking a boat over the road: request copies of the transporter’s DOT or state license documents and cargo insurance, and treat reluctance to provide them as a reason to look elsewhere. The same piece points owners to the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot to check a carrier’s inspection history, crash record, and operating status.
What to look at in the public record
- Operating status: the company should show active for-hire authority, and the legal name or DBA should match the paperwork you were given.
- USDOT and MC numbers: match them to the truck door, the certificate of insurance, and the bill of lading.
- Inspection and crash history: a pattern of out-of-service inspections is worth a question.
What to ask the carrier’s insurance agent for
Ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) sent directly by the agent, or call the agency listed on the certificate to confirm it is current. Read it for:
- Cargo insurer name and policy number
- Effective and expiration dates that cover your pickup and delivery dates
- Cargo limit per load compared with your boat’s value
- Deductible, and who pays it if there is a claim
- Any exclusions that matter for boats (for example, unattended vehicle, specific equipment, or high-value loads)
If your boat’s value is higher than the carrier’s cargo limit, raise it before booking. Options can include a different carrier, additional coverage, or confirming that your own marine policy covers transit.
Call Your Own Marine Insurer
A short call to your boat insurer can save a long argument later. Ask whether your hull policy covers the boat while it is on a commercial carrier’s trailer, whether you need to notify them of the move, and whether coverage changes once the boat leaves the navigation area on your policy. If you are buying the boat, confirm when your coverage starts relative to the pickup date. A purchase closing and a haul date that land a day apart can leave a gap if nobody checks.
The Bill of Lading and Condition Report
The bill of lading (BOL) is the shipping document that records who is shipping, who is receiving, what is being moved, and the terms. For boat moves, it is usually paired with a condition report or inspection sheet where existing scratches, gelcoat cracks, chips, and missing items are marked at pickup. The NMMA Transportation Task Force’s Recommended Best Practices for Boat Transporters calls for a written contract that sets out the duties of each party and for a proper bill of lading to be completed and provided to the driver.
What a useful pickup record includes
- Boat make, model, hull ID number, and registration or documentation number
- Trailer VIN and plate if the boat travels on your trailer
- Pre-existing marks noted by location (port bow, starboard chine, transom, and so on)
- Items left aboard, such as cushions, canvas, or electronics, and items removed
- Fuel and battery status if your prep notes asked for it
- Signatures from you or your authorized contact and the driver, with date and time
Get a copy before the truck leaves. A photo of the signed sheet on your phone is better than nothing; a scanned or emailed copy is better still.
Your Photo and Inspection Checklist
BoatUS advice in the same Cruising World article stresses taking many dated photos and, for valuable boats, considering a marine surveyor at loading and arrival, since surveyors know load points and can document damage. Use this list at both ends of the move:
- Walk around the boat and shoot each side, the bow, and the transom from a few steps back, then close up.
- Photograph the bottom and running gear where you can see them: props, skegs, keel, trim tabs, transducers.
- Capture the T-top, arch, radar, antennas, and any canvas that stayed on.
- Record the trailer: tires, bunks or rollers, lights, winch strap, and safety chains.
- Take a short video of the tie-downs once the driver finishes securing the load.
- Note the odometer or hour meter on the engines if you track them.
- Repeat the full walk-around at delivery before you sign anything.
Our prep-for-haul checklist covers the gear, fluids, and canvas steps that reduce damage risk in the first place. BoatUS’s consumer affairs director put it plainly in the Cruising World piece: when shipping overland, most insurance claims come from poor preparation rather than from hitting bridges.
At Delivery: Inspect Before You Sign
Delivery is where claims are won or lost. Do the walk-around with the driver present and in good light if you can. If you see new damage, write it on the delivery receipt or condition report in specific terms, ask the driver to sign or acknowledge it, and keep a copy. BoatUS guidance is not to let the trucker depart without acknowledging damage in writing on the condition documents, and to call your insurer right away.
If something is damaged
- Note it on the delivery paperwork before signing. “Received in good condition” is hard to undo.
- Take close-up photos with something for scale, plus wide shots that show location.
- Do not start repairs until the carrier’s insurer or your own insurer has had a chance to inspect, unless delaying would cause more damage.
- Notify the carrier (and the broker, if one arranged the move) in writing, and read your contract for any claim deadlines.
- Get a written repair estimate from a qualified marine shop.
Common Mistakes That Weaken a Claim
- No pickup photos, so pre-existing marks and transit damage look the same.
- Signing a clean delivery receipt in the dark or in a hurry.
- Assuming the carrier’s federal registration includes cargo coverage.
- Booking through a bid site without checking the carrier that actually shows up. BoatUS has reported complaints from members about clearinghouse sites that do not verify the insurance and licensing claims of bidders.
- Leaving loose gear aboard that is not listed on the condition report.
Where This Fits in Your Move
Insurance and inspection are only one part of planning. If you are still gathering measurements, start with how to get a boat quote. Moving between slips or yards? See our marina-to-marina boat transport Guide. Larger vessels have extra steps covered on the yacht transport page, and quick answers live in the boat transport FAQ.
Get a Quote From Boat Transport Near Me
Logi Transports LLC (Sebastian, FL; MC-1636889, USDOT 4230991) plans boat moves through Boat Transport Near Me. When you request a quote, tell us your boat’s value and whether your own insurer covers transit, so we can match the move to a carrier whose cargo coverage fits. Ask us for the assigned carrier’s certificate of insurance before pickup, and we will walk you through the condition report.
Call (864) 791-5644, email quotes@logitransports.com, or use our contact page with your boat type, dimensions, pickup and delivery ZIPs, and preferred dates.