If a tree falls on my pier, will my insurance cover it?
Is a pier covered on your homeowners insurance policy?
Quick Answer: It Depends….
A tree on the shore falls over and lands on your pier and causes several thousand dollars to repair. Is there coverage under your homeowner’s insurance policy? This exact scenario happened to a client of ours a few years ago. The tree was over 30 feet high and came crashing down on the 1/3 of the pier that was closest to the shore, including the steps and railings. 
Was it covered?
Well, there is a general misconception out there that piers and boat houses are not covered because they are over water. However, there is nothing in the standard special form homeowner’s insurance policy that makes any distinction on the other structures coverage. Other structures are automatically covered under a homeowner’s policy for up to 20% of the Coverage A (Building Value) of your home. These other structures could be anything from a fence, to a shed, a pool, or a pier, for example.
The thing to keep in mind when you have structures that are near the water that only the perils insured by the policy will cover the other structures as well. Flood is excluded on almost all home insurance policies, so if flood caused damage to the pier it would not be covered. But, if a tree falls on the pier it would be covered because a falling object is a covered peril. The policy would also cover the cost to remove the tree off of the pier as well.
What other damage might your pier have that would be covered? Well, you could have a fire on the pier or there could be theft or vandalism to the pier. In addition, lightning could hit the pier or a boat or automobile hit the pier and cause damage. These types of perils would be covered.
If you have a pier or several other structures on your policy then please give us a call. The 20% of automatic coverage can be increased to accommodate your specific situation. Talk to the professionals here at Huff Insurance to make sure that your policy has been customized to meet your needs. Also, even though the National Flood Insurance Program does not cover flood damage to piers or bulkheads or pools, give us a call to discuss the need for flood insurance for your home.