Personal · Toys
Insurance for toys, yachts, boats and exotics
Motorcycles, side-by-sides, sleds, golf carts, boats, campers, yachts and collector cars each carry risks that home and auto policies cover poorly or not at all. We insure each one on its own terms and line it up under your umbrella.
Schedule a Coverage ReviewDoes homeowners insurance cover boats and other toys?
Only barely. A standard homeowners policy limits coverage for a watercraft and its trailer and equipment to about $1,500, and excludes liability for many owned boats above set horsepower or length, such as outboard motors over 25 horsepower or sailboats 26 feet or longer. Motorized vehicles like snowmobiles, ATVs and golf carts are largely excluded away from the home premises. Many of these toys are better addressed with their own policy.
What toys can Conner Insurance Group insure?
We insure motorcycles and scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides, snowmobiles, golf carts, boats and personal watercraft, motorhomes and travel trailers, plus yachts and collector or exotic cars. Each one goes on a policy written for how it is used, stored and transported. Check whether each one needs to be listed on your umbrella.
| Toy | What it actually touches | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| Motorcycles, scooters and mopeds | The bike, custom parts and riding gear, liability to others, and medical coverage for you and your passenger | Michigan no-fault treats riders differently from drivers; a custom build with no published value may qualify for liability only |
| ATVs, UTVs and side-by-sides | Damage and theft on or off your property, upgrades and gear, and liability on trails and private land | Racing and timed events; commercial or farm use |
| Snowmobiles | Theft, vandalism and collision damage, liability and medical payments on the trail and in storage | Racing and organized competition; damage to a rented sled |
| Golf carts | Liability, damage and theft on the course, around your community and on roads where carts are permitted | Homeowners coverage usually ends at your property line and excludes street-registered carts |
| Boats and personal watercraft | Hull, motor and trailer, liability including fuel spills and wreck removal, and gear on board | Wear and gradual deterioration; mechanical breakdown unless added |
| Motorhomes and travel trailers | The coach or trailer, belongings inside, and liability on the road and at the campsite | Living in it full time unless the policy is written for full-timers |
| Yachts | Hull, machinery and liability on an agreed-value marine policy | Waters outside the stated navigation limits; use during lay-up |
| Collector and exotic cars | A value agreed in advance, plus spare parts and restoration in progress | Daily driving, mileage over the limit and track events unless endorsed |
How does Michigan no-fault apply to motorcycles?
Michigan’s no-fault law does not treat a motorcycle as a motor vehicle, so a motorcycle policy does not include the personal injury protection (PIP) that a car policy does. When a rider is hurt in a crash that involves a car or truck, PIP benefits may be available through an auto policy, under Michigan’s order-of-priority rules. When no motor vehicle is involved, the rider’s medical coverage must come from elsewhere.
| Crash scenario | Where medical coverage usually comes from | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Crash involving a car or truck | PIP through an auto policy under Michigan’s priority rules | Benefit levels depend on the PIP choices on the policies involved; your bike must carry required coverage |
| Single-bike crash (deer, pothole, tree) | Medical coverage you buy on the motorcycle policy, then your health insurance | No auto PIP applies; limits are what you selected |
| You cause injury or damage to others | Your motorcycle liability coverage | Your selected limits, plus legal defense |
What medical coverage should a Michigan motorcyclist carry?
Because PIP does not apply in a single-bike crash, riders should choose first-party medical coverage on the motorcycle policy. Insurers generally offer two forms: medical benefits coverage, which typically offers higher limits without a short time limit on claims, and medical payments coverage, which is more economical but has lower limits and a time limit for collecting. Your health insurance and household PIP choices should guide which one and how much.
Questions we answer with you before you choose:
- Does your health plan cover motorcycle injuries, and with what deductibles and network limits?
- Do you, or someone in your household, have an auto policy, and what PIP level was selected?
- Do you ride without a helmet, which requires a minimum amount of first-party medical coverage?
- Do you regularly carry a passenger?
What are Michigan’s requirements to ride without a helmet?
Since Michigan changed its helmet law in 2012, a rider may go without a helmet only if they are at least 21 years old, carry at least $20,000 in first-party medical benefits, and have either held a motorcycle endorsement for at least two years or passed an approved motorcycle safety course. Passengers riding without a helmet must meet their own requirements, so confirm your coverage before a passenger rides helmetless.
Riding without a helmet effectively decides your medical coverage form for you, because the law requires first-party medical benefits at a set minimum.
What do motorcycle, ATV and snowmobile policies cover beyond liability?
Beyond liability, these policies can pay to repair or replace the machine after a crash, theft, fire or vandalism, and cover medical bills for you and your passenger. Strong policies also pay for custom parts and accessories, repair with original-manufacturer or matching custom parts, and replace parts without deducting depreciation. A custom bike with no published market value may qualify for liability only, so we talk through value before you buy.
| Coverage | What it actually touches | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive & collision | Theft, fire, vandalism, hitting an animal, crashes and tip-overs | Your deductible; wear and mechanical failure |
| Accessories & custom parts | Upgrades, custom paint and wheels, and riding gear, often included automatically up to a set amount | Value above the included amount unless you add more |
| Carried contents | Personal items you carry, such as phones, camping gear and hunting gear | The limit you select |
| Total loss for a new machine | A new bike instead of a depreciated payout if a new one is totaled | Usually recent model years and the original owner only |
| Roadside & trip interruption | Towing, plus lodging and meals when a breakdown stops a trip far from home | Distance requirements and dollar caps |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist | Your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little | The limits you select |
What does boat and personal watercraft insurance cover?
A boat or personal watercraft policy covers damage to the hull, motor and trailer, your liability if you injure someone or damage another boat or dock, and the cost of cleaning up a fuel spill or removing a wreck. Partial losses can be repaired without deducting depreciation on parts. Optional coverages add a new boat after a total loss, on-water towing, mechanical breakdown and replacement-cost coverage for gear you carry aboard.
| Coverage | What it actually touches | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| Physical damage | Hull, motor, equipment and trailer after a collision, sinking, fire, theft or storm | Wear, gradual deterioration and marine growth |
| Liability | Injury to others, damage to other boats, docks and property, and legal defense | Your limits; paid crew unless endorsed |
| Fuel spill & wreck removal | Spill cleanup and removal of a sunken boat when required | Policy limits or sublimits |
| Total loss replacement | A new boat of similar make and quality if yours is totaled | Typically newer boats only |
| On-water towing | Towing, jump starts, soft ungroundings and fuel delivery when you are disabled on the water | The cost of the fuel itself |
| Mechanical breakdown | Engine and drive failure not caused by an accident | Eligible boats and engine age |
| Personal effects & fishing gear | Replacement cost for electronics, tackle and gear aboard | A per-loss sublimit |
| Trailer roadside | Help when the trailer or tow vehicle breaks down on the road | Service area and limits |
How should a boat or yacht be insured on the Great Lakes?
A boat or yacht should be insured on an agreed-value marine policy that covers the hull, machinery and equipment, liability (protection and indemnity), medical payments, uninsured boaters, towing and wreck removal. The policy states navigation limits, so it must specifically include the Great Lakes and any waters you cruise, and it sets a lay-up period when the boat must be out of the water or out of commission. Larger vessels with paid captains or crew need crew liability coverage, because maritime employment law applies instead of standard workers' compensation.
| Coverage element | What it actually touches | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| Hull & machinery | Physical damage to the boat, engines and equipment, at agreed value | Wear, gradual deterioration, marine growth; outside navigation limits |
| Protection & indemnity | Injury to others, damage to docks and other boats, legal defense | Paid crew unless endorsed; racing unless endorsed |
| Wreck removal | Removing a sunken or stranded boat when required by law | Your policy limit, sometimes a separate sublimit |
| Lay-up warranty | Coverage while the boat is laid up for the season | Use during the lay-up period without notifying the insurer |
How is a motorhome insured differently from a travel trailer?
A motorhome is driven, so it needs its own liability coverage just like a car, plus coverage for damage to the coach. A travel trailer or camper is towed, so liability on the road generally follows the vehicle towing it, and the trailer's own policy covers physical damage, belongings inside and liability while parked at a campsite. Either one can be written for full-time living.
What extra coverage should RV owners consider?
RV owners should consider total loss replacement on a newer coach, replacement-cost coverage for belongings, and campsite liability for injuries around a parked RV. Anyone who lives in the RV most of the year needs full-timer's coverage, which works like a homeowners policy for the coach. Emergency expense coverage pays for lodging and transportation if the RV is damaged on a trip.
| Coverage | What it actually touches | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| Total loss replacement | A new RV of similar make and quality if a newer one is totaled | After a set number of model years it pays the stated amount instead |
| Personal effects | Replacement cost for clothes, electronics and gear inside | A sublimit; high-value items need scheduling |
| Vacation liability | Injuries in and around the RV at a campsite, and while it sits in storage | Not for full-time living |
| Full-timer's coverage | Personal liability, medical payments and stored belongings when the RV is your home | Must be disclosed as full-time use |
| Loss assessment | Your share of charges from a campground or RV association | A sublimit |
| Emergency expense | Lodging and transportation when a covered loss strands you on a trip | Dollar limits |
| Roadside assistance | Towing, fuel delivery, flat tires and battery service | Service area and limits |
How are collector and exotic cars insured?
Collector and exotic cars are insured on agreed-value policies that pay a value set in advance, rather than the depreciated value a standard auto policy pays after a total loss. These policies usually limit annual mileage, require locked garage storage and a separate vehicle for daily driving, and often cover spare parts and restoration in progress. Track days and timed events are typically excluded unless specifically endorsed.
How do toys affect my umbrella policy?
Umbrella policies require each boat and recreational vehicle to carry its own minimum liability limit and to be disclosed to the umbrella insurer. Many umbrellas exclude watercraft above a certain length or horsepower, and almost all exclude owned aircraft. Buying a new boat, jet ski or side-by-side should trigger an umbrella update the same week.
Related coverage: Umbrella · Auto · Homeowners
This page is educational and does not alter any policy. Coverage is determined by the actual policy forms, endorsements and declarations issued by the insurer.