Flooding may bring to mind closed roads and building damage but they also pose a risk to boaters. Dangerous debris and rapidly changing water levels are just a couple reasons spring is a good time to review your boat or yacht insurance coverage.

Do you know which areas are most likely to experience flooding and how to deal with the threat of rising waters? As a leading boat insurance company, we know there the risk of possible flooding generally in the Northeast, particularly the lower Mississippi River, and throughout West Virginia, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, among other areas.

Be watchful for advisories that could indicate risk for your boat or yacht.

Keep an eye out for weather reports about conditions that include a spring runoff and stream flow advisory, flood watch, or flood warning. Here’s what you need to know:

Runoff advisory – this means that water levels will likely rise as the snow melts, with areas most at risk being in low lying areas near the affected bodies of water. Be cautious of rising levels and take precautionary measures to secure your yacht or boat.

High stream flow advisory – this usually indicates that minor flooding could occur as water rises quickly. Boaters should take care to secure their watercraft, particularly in low-lying areas. Rapidly rising water may necessitate adjusting the height of docks to minimize damage.

A flood watch – this advisory is more serious and indicates that flooding is expected as water rises and overfills banks. Again, boaters need to take action to secure their boats before conditions worsen. Be aware that flooding often brings debris into the water that can damage your yacht.

Depending on where you are boating, rising waters sometimes mean that some areas become more accessible for fishing or recreational boating since the water is deeper. However, it is important to be cautious because this is the time we in the boat insurance industry get calls from boats running aground, causing damage to the vessel or even throwing passengers overboard.

Here are some steps you can take to protect your boat or yacht and passengers in the event of spring flooding:

• Do not go out on the water if it is unsafe. Rising waters are inherently risky.
• If you go check your yacht or boat, make sure that you park on higher ground. If waters are very high, use common sense. Don’t put yourself at risk to save your marine investment if it means an injury or worse.
• Check that your mooring lines are secure, but not too taut. With rising waters, you need some give.
• If you can’t check on your boat, see if another boater or someone at the marina is able to take a look.
• Follow updates from your local environmental agency and heed any warnings.

Does your yacht insurance quote include coverage for flooding and other natural disasters? Call the boat insurance professionals at Global Marine Insurance for competitive rates on comprehensive marine insurance policies.