It would seem your garage door is part of your home. But, if it breaks, will your home insurance policy cover the damage? In this article, we outline everything you need to know about how home insurance works if your garage door needs repairs or replacement.
Determining If Your Home Insurance Policy Covers Garage Door Damage
Whether it’s a tree branch that blows into your garage door or a teen driver who accidentally puts the car in reverse, garage door accidents happen. And when they do, it makes perfect sense that you'll want to know if your home insurance policy will cover the repairs or replacement.
Unfortunately, there is no single answer to this question. It all depends on two factors: how the garage door accident occurred in the first place and what your individual home insurance policy says.
Look At Your Individual Insurance Policy
As with any type of home damage, when it comes to knowing if repairs and replacements fall under your home insurance policy, you need to look at the policy itself. If you don't have a copy of your policy on hand, contact your insurance agent right away to either get your own copy of the policy. Or have your agent look at it on your behalf. Sometimes the latter route is the easier one, as insurance policies can be difficult to understand.
Consider How The Damage Occurred
Once you know the garage door coverage that your home insurance policy provides, your next step will be to consider exactly how the garage door damage occurred in the first place. This is what will really determine whether you get coverage.
For example, if you hit your garage door with your own car, it's unlikely that your car insurance policy would cover this damage, but your home insurance policy may be able to take care of it. On the other hand, if someone else hit your garage door with their vehicle, the driver of the other vehicle would need to take care of the damage. Your home insurance policy would not likely provide coverage.
While it can be difficult to understand what exactly your home insurance covers in various scenarios, remember that your insurance agent can always help you determine what coverage your policy provides.
Also Read: 3 Ways to Lower Your Home Insurance Without Compromising Coverage