Progressive offers boat accident insurance for pets

Progressive is now offering free pet injury coverage on boaters' dogs and cats.

If a boater's dog or cat is hurt in a boat accident, the company will pay the veterinary bills up to $1,000, Progressive said.

The coverage is free for those with comprehensive and collision coverage. It covers only dogs and cats if they're on a boat and injured in an incident such as a crash, theft, fire or flooding.

"Our new pet injury coverage for boaters gives them peace of mind their pets are protected if they get injured in an accident on the water," said Rick Stern, Progressive boat product manager, in a statement.

What you really need to know about boat insurance

Boat insurance can be a dull, sleepy subject for many boaters and anglers. So why should you care about it?

BoatUS just released a short, three-minute video about boat insurance. It covers:

-Why your knowledge of home or auto insurance won't help you one bit when buying boat insurance.

-Why you should go home tonight to check your own boat's insurance policy for "Consequential Property Damage" coverage.

Boat Sharing vs Owning a Boat

If you are a hardcore boating enthusiast or old salt who knows that you'll be distance cruising, or who wants to be able to spontaneously spend any day or night aboard whenever the whim hits you, or if you have as much fun working on boats as sailing them, or if you're particular about your personal possessions or personal space, then any form of boat sharing is probably not for you. On the other hand, boat sharing can be a fantastic option for new boaters, people on a tight budget, casual now-and-then boaters, those who want to sail in different locations without the long passages, and people with limited time to devote to the life aquatic (we've heard talk that there are other interests worth pursuing, though we've yet to see solid evidence).

Combining these different approaches can also offer a great option for those wanting to try out a number of different types of boats, and can provide a good way to see what you do and do not like before investing in a boat of your very own. You may find the boat of your dreams (or of your nightmares) by chartering, by sailing club boats, or through one of the other sharing methods. You may even find that variety is what does it for you, and you'd rather get experience on a multitude of craft all over the world than be bound to the costs and labor involved in any one particular boat and location.

Final advice: If you decide to charter, enter into a fractional ownership or timeshare, or even just join a club, shop around. We don't recommend particular boating businesses here at YachtPals.com, but you can! If you know of any good boat sharing companies and want to steer YachtPals members and readers in the right direction, or want to warn people about companies which are not so good, please spread the world using our review system.