Will my homeowners insurance policy cover fence damage?

Depending on what caused the actual damage, your homeowners insurance policy should cover damage to your fence. Within your homeowners insurance policy, there’s something called other structures coverage. This coverage protects you if your fence is damaged due to vandalism, storms or other covered perils. However, it more than likely will not cover you for damage caused by a lawnmower or some sort of gardening mishap.

In terms of coverage, the typical homeowners insurance policy may cover you for up to 10% of the total coverage. You will want to speak with your insurance company or an agent regarding this. If you’re in California and have questions about homeowners insurance or just need help getting a better policy, give us a call. Our agents are experts when it comes to homeowners insurance and can help you get better coverage in no time. Call us today at 916 313 6100.

Can fence damage be excluded from my homeowners insurance policy?

The extent of the damage to your fence would have to be covered within your homeowners insurance policy limits and would have to be considered a covered peril. If the damage to your fence was caused by flooding or an earthquake, it may not be covered. Both earthquake and flood insurance come as additional riders to your standard home insurance policy. 

If you’re looking to cover your home for flooding, please look into a flood insurance policy. In addition, if you’re looking to protect your home from an earthquake, please looking into an earthquake insurance policy.

Most damage to your fence caused by fungus, mold or termites, normal wear & tear, or a gardening malfunction won’t be covered under your typical homeowners insurance policy. Basically, if something is not covered under your standard home insurance policy, more than likely that will apply to your fence as well. 

What damage is covered under my homeowners insurance policy?

Now that we know what isn’t covered under our homeowners insurance policies, what is covered? Below we go over a few examples of when your homeowners insurance policy will cover damage to your fence. 

Your neighbors tree falls on your fence

If your neighbor happens to have an older tree that has gotten out of hand due to negligence, and that tree falls on your fence damaging it. Then your insurance company may approach your neighbor to cover the costs to repair the fence, due to the neighbors negligence. Please keep in mind that every state has different rules regarding fence boundaries. Some states may require both you and the neighbor to cover the costs. 

Vandalism damage to the fence

If you are the unfortunate victim of vandalism and your fence was damaged, there is a good chance you will be covered for repairs. You will want to take all the steps necessary and document everything. 

Your tree happens to fall on your fence

There are some situations where your tree falling on your fence may not be covered under your homeowners insurance policy. If your tree was unhealthy and fell due to your own negligence, more than likely your insurance policy will not cover the damages. If it was a healthy tree that fell for no obvious reason, your homeowners insurance company will probably cover the damages. 

A car drives through your fence

If a vehicle spins out of control and crashes into your fence, there is a very good chance your homeowners insurance company will cover the costs to repair or replace your fence. 

Although your homeowners insurance company will cover damage caused by an out of control vehicle, theres also a chance you can avoid filing a claim if you instead file the claim with the drivers insurance company. 

What to do before filing a claim

If you happen to notice that your fence is damaged, you may want to take some good photos and document everything. You want your insurance company to see the damage in it’s original form, so it’s best to take photos before cleaning up. This may also help with your police report if you need to file one. 

After you’ve done the necessary tasks lie file a police report and document everything, at some point you’re going to need to contact a contractor. Get a few quotes for the damage to the fence. Compare the cost to repair the fence to the cost of your homeowners insurance deductible. If the costs of the repairs are lower, you may be in a better situation to handle the repair costs yourself. 

If you would like to speak to a professional agent about getting better homeowners insurance, give us a call! Our agents are experts when it comes to homeowners insurance. Call us today at 916 313 6100.