Are Fences Covered by Insurance?

01 Dec Are Fences Covered by Insurance?

After a big storm tears through your neighborhood, damaging fences on both sides of the street, the same question weighs on every homeowner’s mind: “Is my fence covered by insurance?”

In almost every scenario resulting in fence damage, the answer is yes, your fence is covered by your insurance . Most homeowner insurance policies include “other structures” coverage that protects adjunct property elements around your house: the garage, shed, fence, etc. And since this “other structures” coverage protects said elements against the same dangers your home could potentially face, there are very few situations where your fence could be damaged and your insurance would not cover the necessary repairs.

Let’s review the three most common sources of fence damage:

Your fence sustains wind-related damage during a storm

Whether we’re talking about a tornado, hurricane, or particularly fierce thunderstorm, any wind-related damage your fence receives is covered by your homeowner’s insurance. The same goes for any other structure on your property. Once the storm has passed, we recommend taking pictures of the damage and sharing them with your insurance company. Photos can be very helpful to a Claims Adjuster during the investigation process, especially photos that are time-stamped right after the storm has moved through.

A tree in your yard falls on your fence

A standard homeowner’s insurance policy provides reimbursement if a healthy tree in your yard falls on your fence and damages it. If the tree is old and/or diseased, you should contact your insurance company for a clear definition of healthy vs. unhealthy. But assuming the tree is healthy, it’s likely that your insurance will not only cover fence repairs, but also any costs related to tree debris removal so that said repairs can be made.

A tree in your neighbor’s yard falls on your fence

According to the Insurance Information Institute, if a tree falls on your fence, it doesn’t matter whose tree it is – you are free to file a claim with your insurance company. Where things get dicey is if your insurer finds evidence that your neighbor’s tree toppled due to negligence related to standard maintenance or an untreated disease. If this turns out to be the case, your insurance company could seek to recover its costs from your neighbor’s insurance company (i.e. costs related to clearing debris and fixing your fence), as well as the deductible you had to pay when filing your claim.

It’s wise to wait on filing a claim with your insurance company until you’ve commissioned your own estimate for fence repairs. This will give you an idea of the cost involved, as well as a notion of how much of that cost will be covered by your deductible.

If you have questions about your homeowner’s insurance as it relates to your home’s fencing, we encourage you contact your insurance company. And if you’d like to talk further about the wide variety of fencing options offered by Action Fence , speak with one of our experienced team members today.