Garage doors are generally covered by a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. There are certain types of damage not covered by the policy, which will be laid out in this article.
Detached garages can be sticky points, so make sure to discuss that with your homeowner’s insurance agent.
When You Cause Damage to Your Own Garage Door
It’s not uncommon for people to drive into their own garage doors. We see this more than you might imagine.
We understand that people might be running late for a morning commute, and start backing out with the garage door still closed.
If something like this happens, you have two options: your homeowner’s insurance and your car insurance. You might need both!
Causing intentional damage to your own garage door, though (i.e., driving through the door in anger), your policy will most likely not cover the damage.
What happens if Someone Else Hits Your Garage Door?
When a guest crashes into your garage door with their car, the typical expectation is that the driver’s auto insurance should cover all of the property damage that person causes.
If your garage door needs to be replaced or simply repaired, you don’t need to notify your homeowner’s insurance if someone else caused the damage.
When Your Garage Catches on Fire or Gets Vandalized
Spray-painted garage doors are not uncommon in certain areas. You can try pressure washing them (not recommended for all garage door models), paint thinner, and similar treatments, but if none of these methods works, contact your homeowner’s insurance agent.
Remember, this is why you have the coverage in the first place! Likewise, if there is a fire, the door, the metal supports, the motor, the chains, and so on should all be covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.
Natural Disasters
In the event of a flood, hurricane, falling tree, earthquake, or similar event, damage to your garage door may not be covered.
Things like golf-ball-sized hail or debris blown through your garage door during a windstorm are usually covered, but an earthquake and flood damage is often not included unless you purchased additional coverage.
If you have failed to properly maintain the trees around your residence, this could be an issue. You can get a free consultation from a tree-trimming professional, and they will let you know if you have any trees that could pose dangers to your home.
They may recommend simply trimming back a tree or removing it completely. Having a large tree trimmed can run anywhere from $200-$700, generally speaking.
A falling tree, however, can be a common problem regardless of whether there’s a fire, flood, earthquake, or severe storm. Keep your trees maintained!
Exterior Front Doors
While we are discussing garage doors, it would be prudent to touch on your exterior front door as well. Your Insurance policy should cover as long as whatever damaged your front door was either accidental (your BBQ exploded near the door and singed it) or unexpected (vandalism, tree damage in a storm)
Panorama Offers Top-Notch Homeowners Insurance
For those days when you back out of your car and forget to open the garage door first, Panorama has your back! We can bundle different insurance services for you for additional savings as well. Contact us today to start protecting your family and home.
