Last year, while my club was fishing on a lake for the first time, there was a boating accident when an uninsured boater turned into one of club member's bass boat, destroying the boat; destroying or throwing overboard the boater's and nonboater's tackle; but no one was injured as the uninsured boat went over the passenger side console and into the bass boat in front of the where the boater was sitting.
Had the uninsured boat been 8 to 12 inches to the right, he could have killed both guys.
The bass boat was totally destroyed and both guys lost their rods, reels, tackle, etc. either by impact or thrown into the lake.
North Carolina game wardens knew the uninsured boater and told us that he was a menace on the water. However, there was nothing they could do to take him off the water as this accident had no witnesses other than for those involved.
The boater's insurance paid for the bass boat as a constructive total loss and paid the boater for his lost tackle. The nonboater did not get a cent for his damaged or lost tackle, rods, and reels.
I called my boat insurance company, Progressive, and finally got a claims person and asked him if any nonboater in my boat had his tackle damaged or destroyed due to an accident would there be any recovery from Progressive to him? Simple answer; NO!
We like to take others fishing in our boats and we as boat owners have the protection for the boat, electronics, our fishing gear, and third-party liability to others. The nonboater has nothing unless his homeowners/renters policy is endorsed to cover his tackle via a Personal Property Off Premises endorsement, if offered by their insurance company.
I will now tell all guys who I take out on my boat that my Progressive policy does not cover their tackle, lunch, clothes, rods, reels, baits, iPhones, etc.
I also suggest you query your boat insurance company to find out if they offer nonboater tackle and equipment insurance in your policy.
Just food for thought.
Thanks.