Anyone injured in a boat accident can file a claim for injuries, the main question is who will be held liable. If you’re the boat owner and operator and you cause a crash, your passengers may be able to file a claim against your insurance for damages. If another boat operator caused an accident and your passengers were injured, you and your passengers should file claims against the at-fault boater. It’s important to remember that unlike auto insurance, which is required for all car owners and drivers in Florida, boat insurance is not legally mandatory to carry. People can own and operate a watercraft without insurance. The exception is usually scenarios in which you’ve purchased your boat with a loan, in which case your lender likely requires you to carry some kind of boat insurance. That doesn’t necessarily mean the boat owner will have any (or good) bodily injury liability protection. A lack of insurance also doesn’t mean negligent boat owners or operators are off the hook for injuries. You can still attempt to sue them for damages to cover your medical costs or property damage expenses. That’s why it’s a good idea for boat owners in Florida to carry their own boat insurance and avoid the serious financial consequences that can arise from boat accidents.