Snook Islands is a short run south. The ocean — and the Bahamas beyond it — are up the Intracoastal toward the inlet. It’s also Palm Beach County: the county logged 41 reportable boating accidents in 2025, placing it among the top five Florida counties for the third straight year (FWC).
The local run, start to finish. Every leg of it touches a different line in your policy — and the last one usually needs an endorsement.
A & J Insurance Services is at 807 Lucerne Ave. East Unit, a few minutes from Bryant Park. Roberto Ramos has been placing insurance for Palm Beach County boat owners since 2007 as an independent agent. He shops multiple marine markets to find you the right fit, not just the one a captive agent can offer.
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm · Sat 10am–4pm · Se habla español
No. Florida does not require recreational boat owners to carry insurance — there is no financial-responsibility requirement for private vessel owners under the Vessel Safety Law (F.S. Ch. 327) or the registration chapter (F.S. Ch. 328). But “not required” doesn’t mean “not needed.” Three things do require it in practice: your marina (dockage agreements along the Lake Worth Lagoon commonly require liability coverage, often $300,000 to $500,000, plus additional-insured status), your lender (a financed boat almost certainly requires hull coverage and a liability minimum), and the livery statute (renting your boat commercially requires $500,000 per person / $1,000,000 per event under F.S. 327.54 — a commercial rule, not a private-owner one).
The bigger reality: a boat is a “dangerous instrumentality” under Florida law (F.S. 327.32), and you operate one on a waterway where Palm Beach County logged 52 reportable accidents in 2023, 45 in 2024, and 41 in 2025. All three years put the county in the state’s top five. A marine liability claim without coverage can reach well beyond the cost of the boat itself. The full coverage architecture lives on our statewide Florida boat insurance page — what follows is the local layer.
The city's own public launch at Lake Avenue & Golfview, right on the Intracoastal — four launch lanes with trailer parking. The city runs an annual permit program: Florida residents pay $75 + 7% sales tax per year (current FL boat registration + ID required); non-residents and commercial users pay $225 + 7%. Day passes run $15/day, maximum five days, through the City's online portal. From Bryant Park you run the Lagoon north to the Lake Worth Inlet at the Port of Palm Beach to reach open water — and that geography matters for your policy: marine policies define a navigation area, and Bahamas or offshore trips typically require an endorsement.
Right next to Bryant Park — a 118-acre restored wetland inside the Lake Worth Lagoon: mangroves, oyster reefs, a kayak launch, manatees, sea turtles. Idle speed is the operating standard, and the habitat means you share the water with protected wildlife. Your liability coverage applies here the same way it does anywhere on the Lagoon.
A February 2026 news story documented wait lists of three to five years for slips along this waterway, with dockage costs in the tens of thousands per year — a regional reality on this stretch of the Intracoastal. When you're on a wait list or anchoring while you wait, the question of what happens if your boat becomes a hazard or needs removal is a real one.
Worth knowing honestly: Lake Worth Beach's own hurricane-preparedness page has no boat- or marina-specific guidance. The rules that actually govern your situation are your policy's haul-out warranty and Florida's marina-evacuation statute (F.S. 327.59). If you have a specific slip, policy, or storm plan, that's a conversation for the agent, not a city webpage.
Palm Beach County’s hurricane risk scores 99.87 out of 100 (“Very High”) on FEMA’s National Risk Index. For a boat owner on the Intracoastal, the question isn’t whether to have storm coverage — it’s whether your policy’s haul-out warranty will be satisfied when a storm threatens. Many Florida policies require haul-out or securing within 48 to 72 hours of a named-storm warning, or coverage for that storm is voided. Some offer partial reimbursement for haul-out and tie-down costs. The specifics are policy-language dependent — which is why shopping multiple marine markets matters.
If your boat sinks or becomes a hazard, raising and disposing of the hull can cost more than the boat is worth. Florida statute (F.S. 327.4107) governs derelict vessels, and SB 164 (signed June 2025) added an FWC permit requirement for long-term anchoring that took effect July 1, 2026 — penalties start at $100 and escalate, and three violations in 24 months can mean designation as a public nuisance vessel subject to removal. Whether wreck-removal costs are covered is a policy question, not a legal requirement — exactly the add-on Roberto reviews when he shops your coverage.
If you run the Intracoastal to the inlet and out to sea, your navigation limits are relevant. Most basic Florida boat policies define a geographic boundary; the Bahamas typically require an endorsement. Going outside your policy’s navigation area on a loss can result in a denial. If offshore or island trips are part of how you use your boat, this is the first question to ask when comparing policies.
Homeowners insurance covers only small craft — typically a $1,000–$1,500 physical-damage sub-limit and liability only under certain horsepower and length thresholds. Jet skis are generally excluded entirely. Anything beyond a small canoe or kayak almost certainly needs a standalone marine policy. And a home flood policy — placed through the NFIP, which A&J accesses through Wright Flood — covers the structure and contents of your home. It does not cover your boat; the vessel’s storm and water exposure is a hull coverage matter. Our Lake Worth Beach flood insurance page covers the home side.
Real voices from South Florida boaters, from public Reddit threads (r/boating). Quoted as posted and trimmed only for length — nothing changed in substance. These are not endorsements or advice.
"The agreement I looked into states that they are not responsible if they drop a boat or drive through it, or land it keel up in the water. I have to carry insurance for boat damage and any fuel/oil spill. Seems wild that a dry dock place will drop a boat and move on."
On dry-stack storage contracts"When a storm comes, where to put the boat? I don't think any insurance will insure you if you keep a boat in a slip during summer in S. Florida."
On storm coverage and where to keep the boat"They will want insurance, and insurance will be given here only if I store during hurricane months in hurricane proof dry storage… And insurance wants to see the agreement beforehand. Oh, man."
On how insurance requirements layer with storage decisions"The boat is located in Southeast Florida. I recently had to find a new carrier and my premium is a 50% increase from last year. This is clearly a product of the recent hurricane season. My agent indicated most carriers are pulling out of Florida."
On shopping after a post-hurricane renewal spikeThis last one is the reason independent shopping matters. A captive agent can only offer one company’s rates. When carriers are repricing, tightening underwriting, or exiting the market, an independent agent with access to multiple marine markets is the one who can find you something. That’s been A&J’s model since 2007.
A & J Insurance Services has been helping Palm Beach County boat owners find the right coverage since 2007. One office. An independent agent who shops multiple marine markets. Real people who answer the phone. If you launch at Bryant Park, keep a boat on the Lagoon, or run offshore toward the Bahamas — let’s talk about what coverage actually fits.
A & J Insurance Services · 807 Lucerne Ave. East Unit, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460 · aj@ajinsuranceservices.com · Mon–Fri 9am–6pm · Sat 10am–4pm
Agency FL License #L051810 · NPN 9894692 · Roberto Ramos Jr.: FL License #P111106 · NPN 9567168
For coverage questions specific to your boat, policy, or situation — the statewide Florida boat insurance page has the full coverage architecture. This page is coverage education, not individual advice. For guidance on your specific needs, call Roberto directly.
