Marine Insurance - cover that goes the distance

Boat, yacht, launch and personal watercraft insurance for Kiwi boaties nationwide. Hull cover, liability, salvage and more - arranged by a specialist marine broker.

Our flagship service

Marine Insurance

Marine insurance is what KIS is known for. Whether you trailer a tinny to the ramp, cruise the Hauraki Gulf on a launch, skipper a yacht to the Pacific Islands, or drive a Sealegs amphibious craft straight from the driveway to the water, we arrange cover that fits how you actually use your boat. As an independent broker we compare insurers and negotiate terms - so you get the right cover at a competitive premium, not an off-the-shelf policy that leaves gaps.

Hull cover

Accidental damage, theft and loss cover for your vessel, agreed or market value.

Motor & trailer

Outboards, sterndrives and trailers covered alongside the hull.

Yacht & launch

Specialist cover for sailing yachts and motor launches, rigging and machinery included.

Personal watercraft

Jet-skis and PWC cover for fun on the water.

Amphibious craft

Sealegs-type vessels - cover extends while powered by hydraulic motors on land.

Liability protection

Third-party liability for damage or injury caused by your vessel.

Salvage & recovery

Salvage costs, wreck removal and emergency towage included.

Boat insurance New Zealand - cover built for Kiwi boaties

Boat insurance in New Zealand should be simple to arrange and easy to claim on. KIS arranges cover for trailer boats, runabouts, cabin cruisers and fishing boats used in harbours, estuaries and coastal waters - from the Bay of Islands to the Hauraki Gulf. We make sure your sum insured reflects the real value of your vessel and that the policy responds the way you expect after an incident, including the salvage and recovery costs that catch many boat owners out. From the moment you launch at the ramp to the day you berth at the marina, the right boat insurance NZ policy keeps you protected against accidental damage, theft, fire, storm and collision. We take the time to understand how, where and how often you use your boat, then match you to an insurer whose policy genuinely fits - rather than a generic policy full of exclusions you only discover at claim time. For anyone searching for the best boat insurance NZ boaties can rely on, the difference is a broker who actually knows the difference between a tinny at the ramp and a launch heading offshore.

Jet boat insurance NZ and personal watercraft cover

Not every vessel is a gentle cruiser. We arrange jet boat insurance NZ enthusiasts need for the shallow, fast-moving waterways these boats thrive on - cover that accounts for the specific risks of jet units, impeller damage and high-speed use. The same specialist approach applies to personal watercraft: jet-ski and PWC cover for fun on the water, with liability protection that matters when you share busy waterways with swimmers and other craft. Because jet boats and personal watercraft are used differently from cruising launches, the right policy reflects that - with the right cruising limits, the right machinery cover and liability that genuinely responds. As an independent broker we compare the insurers who write this cover well, explain the differences in plain English, and place you with the one whose policy fits how you actually use your craft.

Amphibious craft insurance - Sealegs and hydraulic-land vessels

Amphibious craft are a category all of their own, and most standard marine policies simply aren't built for them. Vessels like Sealegs - boats fitted with retractable hydraulic wheels that drive themselves across land and into the water - straddle two worlds, and that means the cover has to as well. Our amphibious insurance provides cover whilst the vessel is being powered by its hydraulic motors when it's on land, not just when it's afloat. That on-land operation is exactly where generic boat policies fall short, because they typically only respond while the vessel is on the water or being towed. We arrange cover that follows your amphibious craft from the driveway to the boat ramp, across the beach or foreshore, and out onto the water - including the hydraulic wheel system, the motors that drive it, and the liability you carry to others while you're moving under your own power on land. If you own a Sealegs or similar amphibious vessel, talk to a broker who understands the difference between a boat and a boat that drives itself ashore.

Boat insurance cost NZ and getting a quote

Boat insurance cost in NZ depends on the vessel, its value, how it's used, where it's kept and your claims history - there's no single price that fits every boat. When you request a boat insurance quote NZ from KIS, we take the details that actually affect your premium and shop them across specialist marine insurers, then explain the differences in cover and price so you can choose with confidence. The cheapest quote is rarely the best value: a policy that quietly caps salvage, excludes machinery or restricts your cruising range can cost you far more after an incident than a slightly higher premium with proper cover. We help you weigh boat insurance cost against the cover it buys, so you're not just chasing the lowest number - you're getting protection that genuinely responds. A clear, no-obligation quote from a broker who knows boats is the fastest way to see what good cover should cost for your vessel.

Yacht insurance NZ - for sailors and cruisers

Yacht insurance demands a specialist. Rigging, sails, machinery and navigation equipment all need to be valued correctly, and your cruising limits need to match where you actually sail. We arrange yacht insurance for racing and cruising yachts, from club racers to live-aboard cruisers, with cover that follows you across New Zealand waters and beyond. Insurance for yacht NZ owners is about more than the hull - it's about the rig, the tender, the electronics and the liability you carry to other waterway users. We make sure every component is correctly specified and valued, and that your cruising range reflects your real plans, whether that's club racing in the Bay of Islands or a coastal cruise up to the Hauraki Gulf. When you deal with KIS, you're dealing with a broker who understands boats and who will advocate for you at claim time.

Launch insurance NZ - motor launches and cruisers

Launch insurance covers motor launches and cruisers used for day trips and extended cruising. We arrange cover for hull and machinery, tenders and dinghies, and on-water liability. For owners planning longer passages - including offshore and Pacific Islands trips - see our dedicated Blue-Water & Launch Insurance page. Launch insurance NZ owners trust needs to reflect the value of a substantial vessel and the complexity of its machinery, generators, electronics and tenders. We arrange agreed-value cover so there's no ambiguity about what your launch is worth, and we make sure the policy includes the salvage, wreck removal and emergency towage cover that a serious incident can demand. Whether your launch is kept at Marsden Cove, in the Bay of Islands or further afield, we structure cover around how you actually use it.

Blue-water passage insurance and Pacific Islands boat insurance

Some of our most specialist work is blue-water passage insurance - cover for vessels undertaking genuine open-ocean passages beyond coastal waters. Standard marine policies restrict how far you can take your boat, often to sheltered New Zealand waters, and many insurers refuse to extend cruising limits offshore at all. KIS works with specialist marine underwriters to arrange Pacific Islands boat insurance for voyages to Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tonga and across the Tasman - cover that genuinely follows you across open ocean rather than lapsing the moment you leave the coast. We've placed this cover for launch owners who were told elsewhere that their Pacific Islands trip 'couldn't be insured'. It can, and it's a core part of what makes KIS the marine broker Kiwi boaties turn to for the passages other brokers won't touch. For the full detail on offshore and blue-water cover, see our dedicated Blue-Water & Launch Insurance page.

Why use a marine broker?

Marine policies vary enormously between insurers. Limits, exclusions, lay-up periods, cruising ranges and salvage caps all differ. As your broker, KIS does the comparison work for you, explains the differences in plain English, and advocates for you at claim time. You deal with a person who knows boats - not a call centre. Because marine insurance is our flagship service, we know which insurers are genuinely competitive for which types of vessel, and which to avoid. That means better cover, fewer surprises, and a broker in your corner when something goes wrong on the water. It's exactly why boaties, yacht owners and launch owners across New Zealand come to KIS for marine insurance that's actually built around them.

Explore our other services

Blue-Water & Launch InsuranceDomestic InsuranceCommercial InsuranceRural InsurancePrestige VehiclesLife & Health InsuranceLiability & Risk

Where we provide this cover

Based in Bream Bay, servicing all of Northland and nationwide for marine and commercial clients.

Bream Bay / One Tree Point / Marsden CoveWhangāreiNorthlandKerikeriKaitaiaRest of New Zealand

Ready to keep your insurance simple?

Get a free, no-obligation consultation with Tim - your local Northland broker.

022 323 9125