Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Fence Damage?

Homeowners insurance usually covers fence damage when a covered event such as wind, hail or fire causes it. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department explains that the "other structures" part of a homeowners policy pays for damage to structures not attached to the dwelling, and it names fences alongside detached garages and sheds. The department's Homeowners Insurance Guide adds that typical coverage for these structures is limited to 10 percent of the dwelling coverage limit.

Two numbers decide whether a claim is worth filing, and both are on your declarations page. On a home insured for $300,000, a typical other structures limit works out to $30,000, shared by the fence, the shed and anything else detached. The deductible then comes off the top. The standard HO-3 policy form published by the Insurance Services Office pays only the part of a loss that exceeds the deductible, so a $900 repair on a policy with a $1,000 deductible pays nothing. This post covers what is and is not covered, fallen trees, and what to do after a storm.

How Does a Homeowners Policy Treat a Fence?

A fence is insured as an "other structure." Other structures coverage is the part of a homeowners policy that protects buildings and structures on your property that are separate from the house. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners describes it as paying for damage to "fences, tool sheds, freestanding garages, guest cottages and other structures not attached to your house."

Insurers often label it Coverage B. The limit is usually set as a percentage of the coverage on the house itself. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department and the NAIC both give 10 percent as the typical figure, and the sample HO-3 form states that the limit for this coverage will not be more than 10 percent of the dwelling limit.

That limit is shared. If one storm damages the fence, the shed and a detached garage, all three draw from the same amount. Owners with long fence runs, a pool enclosure or a large outbuilding should ask their agent whether the limit can be raised.

What Kinds of Fence Damage Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?

It depends on what caused the damage. The NAIC's consumer guide puts it this way: a homeowners policy "isn't a maintenance contract; it insures against damage from perils such as fire, wind and hail. It doesn't pay to repair items that simply wear out."

Damage that generally falls on the covered side:

• Wind or hail from a storm

• Fire and lightning

• A tree or limb that falls during a storm

Damage that generally does not:

• Flood. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department states that the typical homeowners policy does not cover damages resulting from a flood.

• Earth movement. The same guide says damage caused by sinkholes or earth movement is typically not covered unless that coverage was requested and purchased.

• Wear, rot and neglect. The Insurance Information Institute notes that losses caused by failing to properly care for your home are not covered by standard policies.

A leaning fence is the gray area homeowners ask about most. If a storm pushed it over, that points toward a covered loss. If the posts loosened over several winters, it reads as maintenance. Our post on what causes fences to warp or lean in PA explains the difference.

Your own policy controls. Read it and ask your insurer how it would treat your situation.

What If a Neighbor's Tree Falls on Your Fence?

In general, you file with your own insurer. State insurance regulators that have addressed the question describe it the same way. The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance says that generally your own policy should cover such a loss, and that the owner of the tree will only be responsible if you can prove the owner was negligent in causing the damage. The Maryland Insurance Administration says many homeowners policies cover a tree that falls on an insured structure "such as a fence or a detached garage," even if it is your neighbor's tree.

Negligence is the exception. Maryland's guidance explains that if a neighbor's tree was dead and the neighbor knew it, your insurer may seek reimbursement from the neighbor after paying your claim.

Removal of the tree has its own small limit. Maryland's guide says a policy may pay a limited amount, usually between $500 and $1,000, to remove fallen trees.

Those are general descriptions from other states' regulators. Pennsylvania policies follow similar forms, but ask your insurer how yours reads before you count on any of it.

Is a Fence Claim Worth Filing?

Run the numbers before you call it in.

Start with a written repair estimate. Compare it to your deductible. The Insurance Information Institute defines a deductible as the amount you are responsible for paying toward a covered loss before the insurer pays, and notes that some policies carry a separate deductible for wind or hail.

Then check how the policy values the loss. Actual cash value is replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear, and the NAIC warns that actual cash value coverage often does not pay enough to fully repair or replace the damage. Replacement cost coverage pays to repair or replace without that reduction. An older fence valued at actual cash value may produce a small check.

If the estimate is close to the deductible, many owners pay for the repair themselves. If a storm took down several sections or the same event damaged the roof or siding, a claim makes more sense. Our guide to when it is time to replace your fence can help you decide between repairing and starting over.

What Should You Do After a Storm Damages Your Fence?

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department's storm guidance gives a clear order of operations:

• Contact your insurance company as soon as possible and follow its instructions.

• Take pictures or video of the damage before you clean up or make repairs.

• After documenting, make the immediate repairs needed to prevent further damage.

• Do not make permanent repairs until your insurance company approves them.

• Write down the names and titles of everyone you talk to, along with the dates.

For a fence, "immediate repairs" usually means making the yard safe. Brace or remove sections that could fall, and put up a temporary barrier if the fence encloses a pool or keeps a dog in. Keep the receipts.

Get a written estimate from a fence contractor that separates materials, labor and removal of the damaged sections. Insurers work from itemized numbers. If the damage happened over the winter, see winter fence damage repair in Western PA.

If you believe a claim was handled unfairly, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department takes consumer questions and complaints at 1-877-881-6388.

How Can You Lower the Odds of a Denied Claim?

Keep the fence maintained and keep records.

• Save your contract, receipts and photos from the installation.

• Photograph the fence once a year and after any repair.

• Fix loose posts, sagging gates and rotted boards when they show up, so damage reads as storm damage and not neglect.

• Trim or remove dead limbs over the fence line.

• Review the other structures' limits when you add a long fence, a pool enclosure or a shed.

An installer's warranty is a different thing from insurance. It covers defects in workmanship or materials, not storms. See what fence warranty homeowners should look for.

FAQ

Does homeowners insurance cover a fence blown down by wind?

Wind is one of the perils a standard homeowners policy insures against, and a fence is covered as another structure. The payment is reduced by your deductible and may be reduced for depreciation.

How much fence coverage do I have?

Look for the other structures or Coverage B limit on your declarations page. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department says it is typically 10 percent of the dwelling coverage limit.

Is a rotted or leaning fence covered?

Generally no. Policies pay for sudden damage from covered events and do not pay to repair items that wear out.

A car hit my fence. Who pays?

Get the driver's name, insurance information and a police report, then call your own insurer and ask how to proceed. Your insurer can also tell you what happens if the driver is unknown or uninsured.

Does flood insurance cover a fence?

Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage at all. Ask your flood insurer what its policy covers outside the building.

Does a home warranty cover a fence?

A home warranty is a service contract for a home's systems and appliances, and it is separate from homeowners insurance. Read the contract for its list of covered items.

Fence Repair and Replacement in Westmoreland County

Just Fences is a locally owned fence company in Harrison City that has served the Greater Pittsburgh area since 2007. The company provides fence installation, replacement and repair for residential and commercial properties in vinyl, aluminum, wood and chain link, and offers free quotes. A written estimate from a local installer gives you a number to compare against your deductible. See the full list on the fencing services page.

Visit Just Fences or call (724) 392-4416 today. Contact us for more information.