Are Fences Covered Under Homeowners Insurance?
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Christine Lacagnina has written thousands of insurance-based articles for TrustedChoice.com by authoring consumable, understandable content.
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Paul Martin is the Director of Education and Development for Myron Steves, one of the largest, most respected insurance wholesalers in the southern U.S.
Popular Questions:
Are fences covered under standard homeowners insurance policies?
When and how does homeowners insurance cover fences?
How much do I pay if homeowners insurance does cover my fence?
If homeowners insurance doesn’t cover my fence, what will?
Expert(s) Found on this Page
Are fences covered under standard homeowners insurance policies?
I’m a new homeowner, and curious about all aspects of my property that are covered under my insurance. My house has a nice fence around the backyard and I want to be able to maintain it. Are fences covered under standard homeowners insurance policies?
Yes they are. However, your homeowners insurance policy will pay for repair costs up to the fence’s current cash value, not for the full replacement value of the fence’s original cost. Like cars, fences depreciate in value over time, due to wear and tear from being outdoors. Fences fall under the “other structures” coverage section of a standard homeowners insurance policy.
When and how does homeowners insurance cover fences?
A standard homeowners insurance policy covers your fence under pretty much all the same scenarios as it does the rest of your property, or the actual dwelling of the home itself. Again, coverage will reimburse up to the fence’s current cash value.
Here are the most common scenarios when homeowners insurance would cover your fence:
- Your fence gets damaged by covered storms or natural disasters (e.g., windstorms, hail, lightning, and fires).
- Your fence gets vandalized.
- Your fence gets struck by a vehicle.
- Your fence gets struck by a neighbor’s tree.
Homeowners insurance will not cover damage done to your fence by the following:
- Floods
- Earthquakes
- Mudslides
- Sewer backups
- Termites/other insects
So in order to know if your homeowners insurance policy will reimburse you for damage done to your fence, you’ll first have to consider what the damage was caused by. Be sure to review your specific policy to find out what’s covered.
How much do I pay if homeowners insurance does cover my fence?
You’ll have to pay any remaining balance left after your policy’s limit to cover damage to your fence. You’ll also always be at a bit of a loss when repairing your fence after it’s depreciated in value. Keeping your fence in the best condition you can will help to retain its value as much as possible.
The other structures section of your homeowners insurance policy may have a limit set at a certain percentage of your actual dwelling’s coverage. If you have a $250,000 policy and your other structures coverage limit is 10% of that, then you would have up to $25,000 total of coverage for additional structures on your property like fences, sheds, detached garages, etc.
If homeowners insurance doesn’t cover my fence, what will?
Well, the standard homeowners insurance policy will cover your fence, so you don’t have to worry about that. The only thing to keep in mind is that there’s unfortunately no insurance policy that’ll ever pay for your fence’s full replacement value up to its original cost.
The other structures category limit in your home insurance will most likely provide plenty of coverage for damage to your fence. You’ll want to be careful when considering which homeowners insurance policy you select at the time of purchase, and work closely with your independent insurance agent to get enough coverage for you. Keep the value of your fence and other detached structures in mind when you shop.
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