Exactly what things homeowner’s insurance will cover can vary drastically depending on the specific policy you have and who your insurance provider is. Virtually all policies will cover a home’s garage door and pay for any necessary repairs or to replace the door in certain situations, but it mostly depends on how the door was damaged. Although it again varies from policy to policy, homeowner’s insurance will typically cover your garage door from all of the following types of damage.
Storm Damage
Almost all homeowner’s insurance policies will cover the costs if your garage door needs to be repaired due to certain types of storm damage. Hail and lightning damage will generally always be covered, but some plans may not cover wind damage. This makes it important to carefully read through the terms of your policy so that you fully understand what types of damage it covers and what isn’t covered. If your policy doesn’t cover wind damage, it’s a good idea to invest in a reinforced wind-resistant door to lessen the risk of it suffering wind damage.
Vehicle Damage
Whether your insurance will cover vehicle damage is a bit trickier, as it depends in large part on who owns the vehicle that hit your door. If you or anyone in your household accidentally runs into your garage door, your homeowner’s insurance should cover the costs to repair it. If the person who hit your garage doesn’t live at your home, that person’s auto insurance will instead pay for the repairs.
If the person doesn’t have auto insurance, then your homeowner’s insurance will typically foot the bill. Similarly, if the damage exceeds what the person’s auto insurance will cover, your homeowner’s insurance will usually pay for the remaining costs that the auto insurance doesn’t cover.
Fire Damage
All homeowner’s insurance policies will also usually cover any damages caused by fire or smoke, but it can depend on the cause of the fire. For instance, many plans won’t cover any damage to your home caused by a wildfire, but they will cover most other types of fires.
Break-Ins and Vandalism
Homeowner’s insurance will also cover the cost of repairs if someone vandalizes your garage door or damages it while breaking into your garage. Most plans will also cover the cost of replacing any items that were stolen from your garage.
What Types of Damages Aren’t Covered by Homeowner’s Insurance?
Most homeowner’s insurance plans will cover storm damage, but many plans won’t cover damage caused by natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires depending on where you live. In areas that are prone to a certain type of natural disaster such as tornadoes or wildfires, you will normally need to purchase a separate policy that specifically covers that type of natural disaster.
Homeowner’s insurance also won’t cover the repair costs if you or anyone in your household intentionally damaged your garage door. When filing a claim, you will usually need to prove that the damage wasn’t intentional and resulted from something that was outside of your control.
One of the most important things to note is that no homeowner’s insurance policy will cover damage that results from age, general wear and tear, or neglect. If your garage door suddenly comes crashing down because of a failed component, you will always have to pay for the repairs out of pocket.
Is It Worth It to File a Claim if Your Garage Door Gets Damaged?
Just because your homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the cost of repairing your garage door doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth filing a claim. Whether or not it is worth it to file a claim ultimately comes down to the extent of the damage, the total repair costs, and what your deductible is. There are many times when the deductible you’d have to pay is higher than what it would cost you to pay for the repairs yourself. As such, it is always important to get a complete estimate of the total repair costs when deciding whether or not to file a claim.
AAA Garage Door and Gates is the company to trust if you need any garage door services in Glendale or the Phoenix Metro area. We specialize in residential and commercial garage door repairs and installation, and we can also help if you need a garage door inspection. For more information on what makes us the best garage door company in the area, give us a call today.
