June 24, 2025 | CREB

Boat and water safety with BrokerLink

BrokerLink Insurance offers members exclusive discounts on home and auto insurance. Through this group insurance program, members benefit from comprehensive coverage, superior customer service, and insurance that is customized to fit your needs. 

BrokerLink has put together some tips on how to ensure you stay safe in and out of the water this summer.  

On the water 

• Have the right boat insurance: First and foremost, you should know whether you need separate insurance coverage for your boat. Some homeowners’ policies provide automatic coverage for smaller watercraft, such as canoes, rowboats, or sailboats. For boats with higher value or higher horsepower-to-length ratio, you’ll need additional boat insurance. 

• Inspect your boat: Make sure the engine and all equipment are in working order. Once your boat is 10 to15 years old, and every five years after, your insurance advisor will ask for proof of a professional inspection.

• Ensure you can legally operate a boat: It’s illegal to drive a boat without a proper boating license. In addition, boating without the proper documents on board may result in a fine. 

• Get safety equipment and use it: Life jackets and wearable personal flotation devices (PFD) should always be worn and in the appropriate size for each person on board. Create a boat safety equipment and pre-departure checklist to ensure you have everything you need.

In the water 

• Always have your eyes on the kids: Children should never be left alone near water. Always have an adult supervising. It’s a good idea to make younger kids wear lifejackets if they like playing near the water.
 
• Don’t drink and play: Swimming can be very dangerous when you’ve been enjoying alcoholic beverages. Ensure others are also acting responsibly and advise them not to go near or in the water if they have had a couple of bevvies to beat the heat. 

• Know the local risks: Always look for “do not swim” warnings when you’re venturing somewhere unfamiliar. Disobeying official warnings by local authorities can be dangerous. Be careful when wading in rivers and lakes; it can be difficult to determine depth or if there are any undertows or currents present. 

Around the pool

• Fence it in: It’s important to make sure pools can’t be accessed by little ones, pets, or unwanted visitors. It’s not enough to put a fence around your entire backyard, the pool itself should have a fence and lockable gate around it to prevent people or pets from accidentally falling in from your yard, deck, or patio. 

• Have floatation devices nearby: Have an abundance of noodles, life jackets, etc. nearby and within reach of your pool. 

• Get first-aid training: Make sure every member of your household has basic first aid training and knows how to do CPR in the event of an emergency.

• Never swim alone: Make sure at least one other person is around when swimming. Never leave young children unattended by a pool. 

Rest Assured, BrokerLink Has You Covered*

Call 1.833.998.3798 or visit BrokerLink.ca/CREB to get a quote.

*Subject to policy conditions and exclusions. ©2025 Brokerlink Inc. ™BrokerLink & Design is a trademark of Brokerlink Inc. All rights reserved.

Tagged: Summer