Instances Your Online Home Insurance Will Cover the Cost of Fence Damages
Under a home insurance policy, fence damages are covered up to the specified limit in the policy documents and they fall under the 'other structures' coverage section of the policy. It compensates for the repairs of the damages up to the fence's current cash value but not for the fence's original cost.
Here are the most common instances when your home insurance policy covers the fence damages-
1. When the fence is damaged by storms, hail, lightning, thunder, windstorms, and fires.
2. In case your fence is vandalized.
3. When it gets damaged by a car crash.
4. When the fence is damaged by a neighbour’s tree.
To know more about these instances, read below-
1. Damages to the Fence Due to Storms, Hails, Thunderstorms, Lightning, or Fires
When a storm, hail, thunderstorm, lightning, or fire hits your house and damages your fence, your insurance policy will cover the damages.
2. Damages to the Fence Due to Vandalism
In case your fence is vandalized, it is covered under your home insurance policy. Make sure you report it to your local police if the damage was done by someone instead of a storm or any other nature's force.
3. Damages to the Fence Due to Vehicle's Crashes
When someone hit their car or any other vehicle into your fence, then your home insurance policy covers the damages. Nonetheless, you should avoid raising a claim against your home insurance by filing a claim against third-party liability insurance.
In case, if it is your car that crashed into your house and damaged your fence, you cannot raise any claim for the damage caused by yourself.
4. Damages to the Fence When a Neighbour’s Tree Falls
If your neighbour’s tree falls because of heavy rains, winds, or storms in your fence and destroys it, you can easily cover the damages for it under your own home insurance policy. If in case, they were cutting down a tree and it damaged your fence, you should file a claim against your neighbour’s insurance.
Instances Your Online Home Insurance Will Not Cover the Cost of Fence Damages
Your home insurance policy will not cover the damages to your fence due to the following instances-
1. Damages due to the termite or insects bite.
2. Damages to the fence due to sewer damage.
3. Damages due to mudslides.
4. Damages due to earthquakes and floods.
What Part of Your Online Home Insurance Policy Covers the Fence Damages?
Your online home insurance policy includes a list of coverage, like dwelling insurance for your home itself, personal property coverage for your valuable belongings, and other structure coverages for items attached to your homes like detached garages, sheds, and fences. We recommend you look into your insurance policy carefully to know more about structure coverage and how much amount is set for the deductibles?
Apart from these, know the instances covered in other structures of home insurance policy and the pay-out amount for the raised claims. Mostly your insurer pays out for the damaged fences, damaged shed, or damaged garage in your insurance policy.
How Much Fence Damages is Covered Under Your Online Home Insurance Policy?
Your fence damage is a part of other structures and is insured up to 10% of your home's coverage limit. Usually, home insurance companies deduct the depreciated amount due to regular wear and tear of the fence, and then they compensate to repair or replace the fence.
How to Raise a Claim for Your Fence Damages Under Online Home Insurance Policy?
The moment you identify damages in your fence, you should take pictures of it before moving anything. In case, you report this to your local police or your insurance company for raising a claim, it will act as substantial proof.
After taking the pictures of the incident scene, the next thing to do is to connect with your contractor. They will discuss the cost of repair or replacement for the damages. We suggest you pay off your repairing expenses on your own if the total cost of repairing is less than the cost of your deductibles.
Now the next step would be to call your insurer and specify to them about the damages. They will look into the matter and resolve the issue by sending the surveyor to the place of the event to assess the damages. They will determine the cost of replacement from the damages.
Also, we suggest you provide the pictures of the damaged fence to your insurer, so they do not miss out on any damage at the time of evaluation. You should try to negotiate in case you feel you are not getting enough coverage.
Summing It Up
Your fence damages are covered under the other structure of your home insurance policy. If you do not have other structures coverage under your existing home insurance policy, you must start looking for various online home insurance plans around. Or you can also ask for quotes from your current insurer. Any structure that is outside your home or separated from the home, you must insure them and save thousands on costly repairing and replacement.
Written By: PolicyBazaar - Updated: 23 March 2022
