It is not part of your house, exactly, but damage to fences around your property is often covered by your home insurance, under its “Other Structures” provisions. As with most insurance questions, however, the devil can be in the details. As in what caused the damage, the nature and identity of the guilty party, and where exactly the fence is located. So you’re lucky if a storm or a nearby vandal remove your fence, for example, but you might be less fortunate if you mow it when you mow the lawn or if you remove a fence post as part of a landscaping project going awry. And hedging can be complicated if the fence is along a property line. Make use of https://tonewjersey.com/ the,
Aside from the causes, there is also the question of how many fences are damaged and to what extent. Here, there is a relevant disclaimer regarding almost all of the coverage in your policy. Even if you are eligible to submit a claim, coverage will likely be capped at a certain percentage 10% is typical of total policy coverage. For example, if you have a home insurance cover of $ 200,000, the other structures cover will be capped at $ 20,000, which means that a maximum of $ 20,000 in damage will be reimbursed by your insurer.
Before you review the types of fence losses and determine if you are covered against each, a general rule of thumb regarding coverage: If your home is not protected from a threat, your fence will be neither. For example, repairs necessary after a flood or earthquake are not covered, unless your home insurance policy contains special protections for them. Ditto for damage caused by mold, fungi, a termite infestation, a landscaping accident or the normal wear and tear of your fence. Few standard insurance policies cover your home in this regard, and it is likely that you will do the same with a claim for the white picket structure that surrounds its yard.
What protections include home insurance on your gates and fences?
If a healthy tree falls on your fence, the damage is usually covered. However, keep an eye on the health of the trees on and around your property. Claims can be refused or reduced if the tree was already weakened due to lack of maintenance or neglect, which could be considered as a foreseeable accident, and therefore avoidable.
If this old rotten or sick tree was on a neighbor’s property, your insurer can hold the neighbor responsible for damage caused by his negligence. However, depending on the laws of each state, a fence along a line can hold you and your neighbor liable for 50% of the damage, each of you paying half the deductible for the repair of the fence. In either case, you will still need to file a claim with your home insurance provider, who may then choose to sue your neighbor or their insurance policy to recover the costs.
If you think your neighbor’s tree is a threat to your fence, then it is wise to let them know that the tree needs maintenance; a little pruning or even cutting the tree before it can because damage could save you and your neighbor from a future headache.