Understanding Homeowners Coverage for Docks

If you own a boat, you might be wondering if your homeowners insurance will cover the dock on your property where you moor your boat. The biggest criteria for whether a dock can be covered is that it typically must be on property you own as your primary residence; a dock or pier you rent at the marina won’t be covered by your insurance. That’s up to the marina to insure.

Your homeowners insurance can provide coverage for your dock or boat launch as additional other structures coverage, allowing you to protect the financial value of your dock from several types of covered damage. Dock insurance coverage will vary from insurance company to insurance company, so check with your agent to understand the ins and outs of your policy’s available additional coverages.

If you have a pier, dock or wharf that you can remove seasonally, it could be considered personal property and be covered under your personal property insurance coverage. Check with your insurance agent to see what your homeowners insurance will cover.

What Does Dock Insurance Not Cover?

There are some common exclusions to dock insurance coverage that limit what types of damage are covered by your policy. These can include:

• Freeze-related damage, such as ice damaging the structure of the dock.
• Collapse of the dock, unless that collapse is caused by a building falling onto it.
• Flood-related damage, including total loss of the dock to a flood.
• High winds that cause severe wave action resulting in damage.

Some typical types of damage covered by dock insurance coverage could be fire, wind, and hail damage, generally similar to the types of damage covered by your standard homeowners policy. Just keep in mind you will have to get other structures coverage to protect your dock.

Does Flood Insurance Cover Docks?

Typically, flood insurance will not help to protect a dock from damage or loss, so your dock would not be covered by flood insurance. There may be some circumstances under which a dock is covered for flood damage, but you will need to check with your insurance agent to confirm your coverage details.

Dock insurance is an important thing to have if you own a dock or boat launch, so connect with your American Family Insurance agent today to make sure you’re covered. If you don’t already have it, consider boat insurance, as well, to help protect the financial value of your boat from things like physical damage and protect your financial well-being with personal liability coverage in case someone is injured on board.