Every Iowan longs to hear three simple yet beautiful words: It is summer. That’s because we have such a beautiful state to adventure in, with nearly three dozen lakes, over 4,400 overnight campsites, and 114,782 miles of open road to explore. Is there any wonder why boats, campers and motorcycles are all so popular here?
Sadly, the toys we use to make the most of our limited summertime all present significant risks. A theft, accident, fire, injury or other tragedy could happen to an adventurer like you at any time. You would be surprised by how often misfortune befalls summer toy appreciators!
Why You Need Boat Insurance
Iowans reported 38 boating accidents in 2020, seven of which regrettably involved a fatality. Several of these fatalities may have been avoided, as the U.S. Coast Guard estimates that 84 percent of boating accident victims who drowned were not wearing life jackets. Adopting responsible safety protocol is surely an indispensable part of summer boating, although some accidents simply cannot be avoided.
Injuries result from boating accidents far more often than death. Over 5,000 boating accidents occur in the U.S. every single year, and nearly 3,200 people were injured while boating in 2020. Boating accidents also account for approximately $62.5 million in damages annually! And victims usually cannot blame inclement weather for boating accidents, as they happen most frequently on calm waters.
There were 4,240 reported watercraft thefts in the U.S. in 2019. The odds of your boat being stolen in a given year are therefore graciously low – about 1 in 2,783, considering that there are 11.8 million registered watercraft in our country. Still, since a new boat costs an average of $60,000 to $75,000, one single thief threatens extensive damage to your net worth!
Why You Need Camper Insurance
Recreational vehicles are susceptible to all kinds of accidents. Inexperienced and overtired drivers, inclement weather, runaway trailers and poorly balanced loads all contribute to the 75,000 hospitalizations resulting from RV accidents every year. RV accidents only result in one third as many fatalities as those involving all other vehicles, but 26 deaths annually are not insignificant.
RVs and campers account for 6 percent of stolen vehicles in the U.S. RV theft is a relatively rare crime, albeit a serious one as the average new motorhome costs about $100,000. And as rates of homelessness continue to rise, more and more people are unfortunately finding an incentive to steal a large and mobile residence.
Why You Need Motorcycle Insurance
Motorcycle accidents are sadly quite common. More than 5,700 motorcycle accidents occurred on Iowan roads between 2016 and 2020. Approximately 1 in 20 of these were fatal, whereas nearly 1 in 4 resulted in significant injury.
There are many things a motorcyclist can do to avoid an accident – wearing a helmet and abstaining from drinking and riding being chief among them. But at the end of the day, there is only so much you can do to prevent an irresponsible driver from colliding with you while you’re on your bike.
Motorcycle thefts are quite common. There were 53,111 bike thefts in the U.S. in 2020 alone. During that same year Americans lost $7.4 billion to vehicle theft. And once again, as America’s economic woes continue to worsen over the foreseeable future, we can only reasonably expect vehicle theft rates to rise in turn.
The Takeaway
Whether your summer toys include a boat, camper or motorcycle, you need insurance to cover you in the event of an accident or theft. Your boat or RV may be worth tens of thousands of dollars, and the sum of all medical bills resulting from a single motorcycle accident can easily exceed $100,000.
Fortunately, for boat insurance Sioux City IA residents need only turn to the Hoffman Agency. We similarly serve people who live throughout Iowa for all their camper and motorcycle insurance needs, and with our decades of experience and personal commitment to protecting our clients you’re always assured the best insurance solution for your budget whenever you contact the Hoffman Agency.