Keep your head above water

With the long, sunny days of spring in full swing, we hope you have your boat in the water. Boating in Alabama takes many forms, whether you like to cruise around inlets or zip around one of our many lakes before taking your family to the perfect spot for an afternoon of swimming and tubing.

Here at Guide Insurance Agency, we work with our members to help ensure that boating is a hobby that’s as safe as it is fun. While all water sports offer an element of risk, the appropriate training, safety precautions and insurance can help you focus on the fun.

Of course, we believe that the best insurance is precaution, and that starts with basic water safety. Per the U.S. Coast Guard, someone is injured or killed in a boating accident every 2 ½ hours. Behind that statistic is a sobering factor: you are six times more likely to drown in an accident if you’re not wearing a life jacket.

To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, your boat must have a USCG-approved life jacket for each person on board. While children are required by law to wear life jackets while boating in Alabama, adults can benefit from them too. If you’re thrown overboard in rough water or knocked unconscious by the boat or nearby rocks, a life jacket can help you keep your head above water. New styles are thinner and more flexible for comfort, proving that old adage: the best life jacket (or helmet, or seat belt) is the one you wear.

As you start with the warm weather fun this month, let us help you stay protected. A quick call to an agent at Guide Insurance Agency can provide peace of mind until you take your boat out of the water this fall. 205-508-2200