Hot tub coverage ?

[bachman]

Our tub may have missed being damaged completely but I'm still clearing tree parts and weight off the cover.

As far as I know, my HO policy is at $1000 deducible for something like this and now, I'm wondering what others do / did.
Is it affordable to get a special rider or extra coverage ? My neighbor has plenty more of these weepy type trees and soft limbs although this is the first for anything big coming down in our 13 years here.
My agent is going to check it out for me and I'll see what is available. They are a broker and shop for me every few years , as of now and the last 3 years, been with Safco for everything.
My tub was 'free' but I'm in for $1500 with move and electrical and another $2000  in landscaping, terrace/patio not including labor.

It's one thing to get a free tub that might be worth $3000, yet consider $13,000 if needing to replace.  Marquis Reward S.A. - not sure of current pricing though.
Best smart tactic to protect from injury ?


Thnx,

~bachman

[bachman]

Updating this since I see no evidence of others taking special precautions / coverage and learned this while snooping around although somewhat generic, covers 'most states'. I suppose anyone who has had a similar experience researched it some as well.
Thinking of adding a pergola as safety net since future threats are possible and we were so very lucky with no damage.

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Damage?

In most states, if your tree or any part of it falls on your neighbors’ property and causes damage to their property through no fault of your own (due to a snow storm, winds, hurricane, or another so-called “act of God”), you are not responsible. Your neighbors will have to file a claim with their own property insurer if they want to be reimbursed for their loss.
If, however, the tree that you own, or a branch from it, fell as a result of your negligence (for example, an overhanging branch had been dead for years and your neighbors had been complaining about it for nearly as long but you neglected to have it cut down), you are liable.

**I also read tree clean up is not a covered expense unless related to damage.
If we had some damage to the tub, we could see if damage/repairs and a bid to do the tree clean up and removal was worth turning in versus our deducible.

[bud16415]

About a month ago the neighbors 100 year old maple that had two trunks decided to split off on our side and come at our hot tub deck. The trunk was about 30” at the base. The tree hit the house and the main trunk hit the pergola I had built to cover the tub. The four poles and headers took the hit and snapped a double 2x10 like a match stick. In the process the poles leaned and carried the trunk off the deck. Actually the metal roofing covering the pergola held it together as it was ripping in half.

We were watching the wind and rain at the time 50MPH gusts and the tree falling gave us quite the scare as we were only a few feet inside the house. The deck was engulfed in limbs. The phone rang and it was the neighbor asking if we were ok. The rain stopped and we all went outside and I grabbed my pole chain saw and started getting the limbs away from the house and deck as she called our insurance company. The neighbor whos tree it was came over with his tractor and wagon and the 3 of us started in. With 10 man hours of labor we had the house clear. The next day 10 man hours had it all gone and to a neighbor who heats with wood.

My insurance guy shows up at noon and says where is the tree?

He told me my 500 deductible was in play and that even though a tree is not on our property it is an act of god and where the damage happened is who pays. He gave us 500 for our first 3 hours clean up and 500 more for the second 3 hours. He estimated damage to the deck and pergola the siding had a scuff and he figured in replacing all that wall. And a few pieces of roof trim that got wrinkled a little. He was really glad to see the roof protected the tub no damage there. The next day we got a call after deductible he was sending a check for 3500. I had the railing and deck rebuilt the next day with materials I had on hand. I straightened the poles up with ropes and winches jacked the broken beam up straight and replaced it with 2 new 2x10’s about 8 hours and 150 bucks and I was good to go. I will replace the ripped metal roof next spring that will be another 150 bucks.

The neighbor feels so bad and I laid it on about not having the shade tree any longer that he bought a new sun-setter awning for his house and gave me his couple year old one. We mounted it to the side of the pergola and now I can roll out my shade when I want it.

I don’t know how people do it with a tub in the snow belt without a roof over it.       

[bachman]

Wow, that is quite a nice ending to that story and you all made quick work of everything. Sounds like insurance hit on all cylinders if not going above and beyond. Nice to hear those with happy outcomes.

I'm overly blessed to know we had no real damage and although I'm slow to get it cleaned up, I'm not complaining. I first got the tub clear and checked out then took a deep breath of relief.
The landscape mess isn't a big deal but I didn't get any fastidious response or hands on help from my younger neighbor (I did ask) who as of day 3, was still busy with errands and such. Finally yesterday with a text his day was a flop and too busy to come over... I texted him and stated  (not asking permission) "OKAY no problem, I'm donating the tree on the fence to your yard / side of the fence, Firewood !! thumbsup"

I don't want or need it and it seems to me with all the mess I have from his tree, we'd at least have shared the effort and work.  I feel better giving him half the mess in big sections I can roll or toss over there.

I'm such a turd!!  57 years old and this guy is early 20's and at the gym 3 hours a day !! 

[bud16415]

I’m 63 and my neighbor is 70. I think that explains how we got it cleaned up so fast, lol we are running out of time to work slow. Actually I think it has more to do with growing up in the age before video games. I try real hard as I get older to not sound like my grandfather or my father but I’m becoming more aware they were correct and each generation looses a bit more when it comes to work ethics. I know there are a lot of hard working young people still around and maybe it is my perspective as I get older. 

[bachman]

I’m 63 and my neighbor is 70. I think that explains how we got it cleaned up so fast, lol we are running out of time to work slow. Actually I think it has more to do with growing up in the age before video games. I try real hard as I get older to not sound like my grandfather or my father but I’m becoming more aware they were correct and each generation looses a bit more when it comes to work ethics. I know there are a lot of hard working young people still around and maybe it is my perspective as I get older. 

I understand completely.
I can't say I'm one to deride an entire generation either. The younger upstarts or Millennials can't be all rated by a few examples that play into my impression but I do think technology and instant information has many thinking differently.

Expectations, shortcuts and such leave behind the essence of duty, respect for others time and property and "doing the right thing" because many things today fill in that 'It's all about me" element. It doesn't have to be this way and many kids are raised with the character and values of doing right by others. In these cases, they understand the time and energy saved by the very technology and expectations mentioned are How and Why they DO have time to help others or do the right thing.

[bud16415]

I’m 63 and my neighbor is 70. I think that explains how we got it cleaned up so fast, lol we are running out of time to work slow. Actually I think it has more to do with growing up in the age before video games. I try real hard as I get older to not sound like my grandfather or my father but I’m becoming more aware they were correct and each generation looses a bit more when it comes to work ethics. I know there are a lot of hard working young people still around and maybe it is my perspective as I get older. 

I understand completely.
I can't say I'm one to deride an entire generation either. The younger upstarts or Millennials can't be all rated by a few examples that play into my impression but I do think technology and instant information has many thinking differently.

Expectations, shortcuts and such leave behind the essence of duty, respect for others time and property and "doing the right thing" because many things today fill in that 'It's all about me" element. It doesn't have to be this way and many kids are raised with the character and values of doing right by others. In these cases, they understand the time and energy saved by the very technology and expectations mentioned are How and Why they DO have time to help others or do the right thing.

Before I retired I had many really smart young recently graduated from collage people working with me. One day a young engineer was talking with me as I was working on a project model on my state of the art cad system. I did something to the model that only took a second and commented when I was your age that would have taken a week to do. He said were your computers that slow back then. I said no computers were just being invented then and we had no computers we worked it all out with paper and pencil. He gave me a look like he was talking to Methuselah and said “Really”. I said no just kidding what do you think I’m 900 years old. He laughed and said you really had me going there for a second.

There is a total generation that know nothing but smart phones and computers and I think if those devices were suddenly gone would have no way of functioning in daily life.

I have always been a supporter of advancement of technology but have always viewed it from some past much harder more basic way it was done. I still remember paying 80 bucks when I was making 90 a week take home for a 4 function calculator made by TI. Bought it payroll deduction at $5 per week.

Like I said there are still people doing work by hand and always will be I hope. But even the guy digging a ditch stops and throws down his shovel when his iPhone rings or to check and see instantly what his friends are doing on facebook.