Before setting sail this summer, boat owners should understand a crucial aspect of their insurance coverage: navigational limits.
These defined areas dictate where a watercraft can operate while maintaining insurance protection. Venturing outside these boundaries could impact coverage, potentially even voiding it altogether.
We consulted our claims team to help answer important questions about navigational limits under Aviva NauticLife policies.
What are navigational limits?
It’s important to understand that every insurance company defines where a boat is allowed to be used and where it isn’t. When a boat leaves the permitted area, it can change how coverage works or even remove coverage altogether. Navigational limits are the maximum range where boats can be operated while maintaining insurance coverage.
What are my navigational limits?
Aviva polices allow watercraft to be operated in most areas within Canada and the northern United States. The most important restrictions to be aware of include:
- South of 40°N—roughly New York on the east coast and Oregon on the west coast
- North of 52°N on the east coast or north past Canadian territorial waters on the west coast
- The northern coast is limited to the waters of Hudson Bay and James Bay, except for the Hudson strait and the Arctic Ocean
- More than 100 nautical miles offshore in all of these areas, except Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii, which is limited to 20 nautical miles
For a full list of restrictions please refer to your policy.
What are my options if I want to go outside of these limits?
Aviva allows boat owners to purchase extensions to operate a boat in extended zones. This allows for coverage in the Southern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
It’s important for a boat owner to be clear with their broker on where they intend to operate their boat to ensure there is an extension available for that location. They’ll also need to review the extension to learn if there are additional coverage restrictions.
In some situations, there is no extension available and the policy will not provide coverage under any circumstances. For example, there is no coverage available for crossing the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans.
Learn more about navigational limits
If you have any questions, please contact your Broker Operations Specialist or your Broker Relationship Manager.
