Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Garage Door Repairs?

As a homeowner, you always want to make sure your home stays protected in case of unexpected damages. Homeowners insurance can give you peace of mind, although you may be wondering if that coverage protects your garage door. When damage does occur, you could be left wondering whether you’re fully covered.

In those instances, it’s important to understand the intricacies of homeowners insurance — such as when you should file a claim, what damages are covered and how that coverage differs when it comes to attached vs. detached garages.

Is It Worth It to File a Homeowners Insurance Claim for Garage Door Repair?

Depending on your policy, it may be worth it to file a homeowners insurance claim for garage door repairs. In some cases, it may be beneficial to file the claim as early as possible and for as much as possible.

Some insurance companies may include deductibles that outweigh the actual cost of repairs. In these cases, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons and see what would be most beneficial for your situation.

What Damages Are Typically Covered by Homeowners Insurance?

As you dig into the world of homeowners insurance, you’ll start to see that damage is a very broad term and can allude to many different types of scenarios. It’s important to understand what damages are covered by your insurance policy and which ones you may not be protected from.

Each homeowners insurance policy will differ based on the type you have. In general, these are the types of damages you can expect to be covered by homeowners insurance:

Vehicle Damage

Though it may be embarrassing, accidents involving garage doors and vehicles happen. It can be easy to accidentally back into your garage door while rushing somewhere else. Especially in harsh weather conditions like snow, your visibility could be impacted, or the driveway may be icy, leading to an accident. In many instances, your insurance will cover those damages to your garage door.

If someone who doesn’t live in your home hits your garage, their auto insurance should cover the damages.

Natural Disasters

Damages caused by lightning and severe weather will usually be covered by homeowners insurance. However, the coverages for individual natural disasters differ — while you may be protected from wind and lightning, flooding might not be a part of the policy. Make sure you read those details to see what you’re covered for.

Fire Damage

Homeowners insurance will also usually cover housefires, which can be scary and severely damaging to your home. If the worst does happen, you can at least have confidence knowing you won’t be stuck paying the entire bill.

Vandalism and Break-Ins

Your garage is an extension of your home, which means homeowners insurance will usually cover things like graffiti and even break-in damages. In some cases, it may also cover the items stolen from your garage. If you plan to store valuable items in your garage, you may want to increase your coverage for stolen property.

What Damages Are Not Typically Covered by Homeowners Insurance?

Knowing what your homeowners’ insurance doesn’t cover will impact how you invest in your home. For example, if your homeowners’ insurance doesn’t cover wind damage, you may want to look into getting a more robust, insulated garage door that can stand up to the elements. Here are some damages that are commonly not covered by homeowners insurance.

Floods, Earthquakes and Wildfires

While some natural disasters — such as lightning strikes and hailstorms — may be covered by your homeowners’ insurance, others may not be. You may have to pay for damages caused by flooding, earthquakes and wildfires. If you live in an area that sees these types of natural disasters, you may want to look for a policy that will cover you fully.

Intentional Damage

Any intentional damage you do to your garage door will not be covered by homeowners insurance. In most cases, you’ll need proof to show that the damage was caused by something outside of your control. Likewise, minor damage will usually fall out of the realm of homeowners insurance.

General Wear and Tear

Over time, your roof will become impacted by old age, whether in the form of curling shingles or more frequent repairs. Usually, this general wear and tear will not be covered by your insurance policy.

If your roof is brand new, you’ll probably have an easier time getting coverage for damages. If your roof is in the last years of its life, you’ll probably be better off investing in a new roof rather than paying high deductibles for damages.

Homeowners Insurance for Attached vs. Detached Garages

Policies become more complicated if you have a detached garage. With an attached garage, your garage door is considered a part of your home and is usually covered by the details outlined in your homeowners’ insurance policy. Detached garages are completely separate from your home. This creates some gray areas between what is and is not covered in your policy.

Usually, an “other structures” policy extends coverage to buildings separate from your home. Other structures could include sheds, fences, pools and detached garages. These policies will cover damages for detached garages but usually at a lower percentage than those that are actually a part of your home.

If you have or are considering building a detached garage, that insurance coverage is something to think about.

Contact Door Pros for Information on Garage Door Repairs

Each insurance policy differs slightly, so some damages may be covered while others may not. Trying to decide which coverages are good for your situation can be challenging because many of these factors — like natural disasters and break-ins — may seem out of your control. It’s important to focus on the aspects you can control, like investing in a quality garage door that will hold up well to the elements.

Door Pros offers comprehensive garage door services, including repairs, maintenance and installation. If you do need repairs done or if you’re looking to install a new quality garage door, the professional experts at Door Pros are here to help.

Providing superior customer service is our top priority — we’ll answer any questions you may have and can service any make or model of garage door. We’re dedicated to making your experience as easy and thorough as possible.

Work with our talented team of garage door experts to find repair solutions that fit your budget or browse our collection of elegant, quality garage doors. Request an estimate today!