Home Insurance Cover for Fence Damage

Posted on: May 24, 2022 | | Written by:

Home Insurance Cover for Fence Damage

A homeowners insurance covers your home against major risks in three ways. First, it provides standard coverage for the structure of your home against fire, and special perils listed in the policy. Second, it protects the structure as well as the contents of your home against natural and manmade calamities. The third is protection against peripheral risks such as loss or damage in transit.

What about the structures outside the home such as the fence or the garage of the home? It is not covered under the structure or contents of the home. However, most home insurance plans cover it under ‘Additional structures’ depending on the cause of damage. So, it is recommended that for covering fence damages review the policy details. Here are a few important points you should be aware of about fence coverage under home insurance.

Coverage for Additional Structure

Additional structures are structures outside the home or adjoining the home but are a part of the property. These structures can be boundary walls or fences, main gates, garages, pools, or anything. Additional structures are not covered under the building coverage of the home insurance plan. If you want coverage for these structures, you have to set aside an additional sum insured as additional structure coverage under your policy.

Please note that coverage is provided if the cause of damage or loss is listed in the policy. Any damage due to a reason other than the specified ones will not be covered.

Causes of Fence Damage Covered by Home Insurance

Following are some of the most common reasons for fence damage for which you can file a homeowners insurance claim;

1. Damage due to Tree Fall:

You can file a claim for damage due to a tree falling under your home insurance plan. Remember that if the fallen tree was already weakened due to lack of maintenance, the insurance company will not pay anything as it is due to negligence and could have been easily prevented. In case the fallen tree is on a neighbour’s property, the insurance company will investigate how the tree fell. If it happened due to the neighbour’s negligence in maintaining the tree, your claim will be recovered through the neighbour’s insurer.

2. Storms:

Additional structure coverage also covers damage to fences due to windstorms, hailstorms, or lightning. The damage is covered up to the coverage limit of your policy. But if you live in an area that is prone to storms or cyclones, these damages won’t be covered by your insurer.

3. Vandalism:

Acts of vandalism are also covered in additional structure coverage. Any human act done with the intention to cause damage is covered under additional coverage.

4. If a Car Crashes into your fence:

If a car crashes into your fence, it causes a lot of damage. In such a case, you can either file a claim through your home insurance policy or file a claim through the driver’s property liability cover. If your home insurance or driver’s liability cover doesn’t fully cover the damage you can file a claim under both to cover the entire cost of fence repair. If you crash your car into your own fence, you cannot file a claim.

Causes of Fence Damage Not Covered by Home Insurance

1. Wear and Tear:

No home insurance covers any wear and tear of any part of your home. It is your responsibility to maintain your home regularly to avoid any damage altogether. Even if you file a claim for damage due to reasons that are covered by your policy, your claim can be denied on account of non-maintenance. If your insurer finds that your fence was not in good condition and was damaged by a storm, your claim can get rejected.

2. Termites:

In India, termites or any kind of pest infestations are very common but are not covered by home insurance. Termites cause a lot of damage, especially to the woodwork done in your house and it can cost you a lot as you not only need to spend on getting rid of a termite infestation but also on the repair work. Home insurance companies consider it a maintenance issue and hence, do not provide any coverage for termite infestation.

3. Torrential Rain:

Any damage due to heavy and continuous rain is not covered by insurance. It is again considered a maintenance issue because a healthy and properly maintained structure will not collapse due to heavy rainfall.

Raising a Claim for Fence Damage

Once you notice damage to your fence, here are the steps to raise a claim

● Gather evidence, take pictures, or if you have a CCTV camera installed in your compound you can use CCTV recording as evidence. If the damage is done by a car crash or vandalism, you will need to report it to the police and get a copy of the FIR.

● Call the contractor and ask him to see the damage and calculate the repair cost.

● Contact your insurer and provide evidence, an FIR copy if required, and the repair estimate.

● The insurer will assign a surveyor to assess the damage.

● Once your claim is verified and accepted you will get the reimbursement. If it does not cover the full cost of repair, you can negotiate.

Conclusion

When you purchase a homeowners insurance, always check for additional structure coverage, if you have additional structures on your property. Repairing or replacing these structures after damage can be an expensive affair. Having it covered under your home insurance policy will save you a lot of money. Also, check the damages covered in your policy as any damage other than the specified damages will not be covered. If you have expensive structures, check with your insurer about how you can increase the coverage.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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