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Ice Shove Damaged My Boathouse!
10/02/2026
Ice Shove Damaged My Boathouse!
The insured enjoyed having a lakeside home in the summer, where they could take a cruise on their boat in the evenings. But one winter, the frozen lake shoved ashore massive ice slabs, crushing a metal boat lift that had been stored on the shoreline for the winter. The lateral ice pressure then smashed into a permanent boathouse, buckling the vinyl siding, breaking through windows, and splitting the wooden framing. Ice chunks spilled onto the personal property left inside as well. The homeowner was left wondering whether they'd be frozen out of coverage for this loss. Notable Timestamps [ 01:26 ] - The hosts introduce the scenario, inspired by a LinkedIn post from "LO$$ RATIO" (Curtis Goldsborough) about flooding in northern Michigan pushing lake ice into shoreline structures. [ 05:10 ] - Mike and Brennan walk through the basics of Coverage A (dwelling), B (other structures), and C (personal property) before digging into which one applies to a boathouse and boat lift. [ 06:50 ] - Because Coverage C is a named-perils coverage that only applies to personal property inside a building, the boat lift and boathouse themselves would need to qualify under Coverage B instead. [ 08:08 ] - The hosts debate whether the "weight of ice, snow, or sleet" peril applies when the ice pressure is lateral rather than straight down, noting PLRB's coverage attorneys treat lateral pressure as still falling within the "weight" definition since gravity is the propelling force. [ 09:38 ] - They discuss what makes a structure like a boathouse qualify as a Coverage B "other structure" rather than personal property: permanence, attachment to the land, and whether it's routinely removed each season. [ 11:42 ] - Once classified as an "other structure," the boathouse runs into the freezing/thawing/pressure/weight of water or ice exclusion, which lists specific structures like piers, wharves, and docks. [ 13:04 ] - Because insurance exclusions are construed narrowly against the drafter, the hosts conclude a boat lift and boathouse likely don't fall under that exclusion's "pier, wharf, or dock" language, since the policy could have said "boathouse" but didn't. [ 14:34 ] - Before wrapping up, the hosts flag two more exclusions worth checking: what actually moved the ice (surface water, waves, flooding) and whether earth movement contributed to the damage. [ 16:21 ] - Brennan and Mike recap the three key takeaways on boathouse and boat lift coverage under a standard homeowners policy. Your PLRB Resources Policy Annotation: Weight of Ice, Snow or Sleet (HO67) - Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys ( at no additional charge to you or your company. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau" Send us your Scenario! Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to . Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate. Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).
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