No matter how experienced a skipper is, reversing down a boat ramp can be a challenge that could go wrong at any time. As an insurer, we are there for our customers when the worst unfortunately happens, however we also want to help our customers and community be better prepared and prevent accidents from occurring. 

That’s why NRMA Insurance has partnered with Google Maps to create 'Ramp Rater'. The world-first initiative brings detailed new imagery of boat ramps to Google Street View and 360˚, enabling boat owners to pre-prepare and ultimately navigate their way safely down the boat ramp.

In addition, images will be stamped with an NRMA Insurance rating of difficulty, helping boat owners understand the level of difficulty before visiting a ramp at their destination. To date, ‘Ramp Rater’ has been rolled out across 44 ramps across Australia. The technology also allows NRMA Insurance to help provide utility in other areas of Google Maps such as caravan parks, bike trails, 4WD tracks and other areas where help is needed.

Avid fisherman and boating content creator, Jack Murphy ‘The Captain’, has been engaged to capture the original boat ramp imagery.

“What’s more helpful than knowing the best ramp to take your boat to? It’s simple, easy to use, strongly linked to human use of Google and keeps our customers safer by rating boat ramps from beginner to advanced,” said Ms Curtis. 

‘Ramp Rater’ forms part of NRMA Insurance’s first-ever boat campaign, aimed at encouraging Australians to protect their vessels both on and off the water, anywhere in Australia.