How Insurance Impacts Hurricane Boat Lift Damage
Many Florida residents are boat owners. When a hurricane strikes, boat lifts are especially vulnerable to damage from wind and flying debris, since they are exposed to the elements. If your boat lift has been damaged in a hurricane, is it covered by insurance? The answer, of course, depends on your insurance policy.
Does flood insurance cover a boat lift?
For Florida residents who carry the National Flood Insurance Program policy, their homes may be covered, but they may be disappointed to find out that certain structures are excluded, such as:
- Piers
- Wharves
- Bulkheads
- Bridge
- Seawalls
- Docks
Therefore, if the damage to a boat lift was caused by a storm surge or other types of floodwaters, the flood insurance policy may not cover it.
What about my homeowner’s insurance?
Depending on the type of coverage you have selected in your homeowner’s insurance policy, your boat lift may be covered. If you selected coverage for your boat lift under your ‘Other Structures’ coverage, it may be covered during a storm. ‘Other structures’ coverage is also used to protect pools, sheds, detached garages, and fences.
It is important to note that some homeowner’s policies exclude coverage if a dock or boat lift collapses (unless caused by the collapse of another building). Additionally, damage caused by freezing may also be excluded.
Hurricane insurance policies
Hurricane policies generally cover a structure and its contents. Again, separate structures, such as boat lifts, may not be covered by hurricane insurance. However, one insurance company in Florida has begun offering coverage to items generally excluded by other policies. The product is unique to Florida and may provide coverage for external structures, such as carports, fences, and’ boat lifts.
Do not accept the insurance company’s denial
Many insurance companies wrongfully deny claims, or pay the policyholder far less than they should. If you have suffered damage to your boat dock after a storm, you should speak with one of our experienced Florida disaster recovery attorneys as soon as possible to pursue your claim. After Hurricane Irma, nearly one-third of all Florida insurance claims were closed without a single dollar being paid to the policyholder, but that’s not the case when our aggressive, knowledgeable hurricane damage attorneys are on your side.
With our Florida hurricane attorneys on your side, the insurance company is less likely to get away with taking advantage of a policyholder’s general inexperience with insurance language and laws. We speak with the insurance adjuster on your behalf, negotiate a fair settlement, and argue proof of damages. We take a major burden off of you while you focus on repairing your home.
Since our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, you do not have to pay any money up front to hire our insurance claim attorneys. Instead, our payment is simply a percentage of the recovery you obtain at the end of the case.
If your property has been damaged by a hurricane, call our leading Florida hurricane attorneys today
Insurance policies have deadlines in place for submitting claims. Therefore, it is important to act as quickly as possible after a storm. At Ged Lawyers, our skilled Florida insurance claim lawyers begin working on your claim immediately to maximize the compensation you obtain. To schedule your free case review with our highly respected legal team, call 844-443-3529 or visit us online. We have offices throughout Florida, including Panama City.
