Will Homeowners Insurance Cover a Broken Window?
As a homeowner, you know that you have homeowners insurance there for you when you need it the most. You know that it covers disasters ranging from injured guests to natural disasters. While you feel confident knowing how and when to use your coverage, have you confirmed whether or not home insurance covers a broken window or glass accident? Here is what you should know.
Homeowners insurance and broken windows
Standard home insurance helps to cover you from certain risks that are outlined in your policy as ‘perils’. Home insurance will typically help to pay to repair damage from vandalism, hail, fire, theft, and wind. That means if one of your windows is broken by hail, for example, you will be able to file a home insurance claim on your dwelling coverage. If the broken window is on a detached structure, such as a shed or garage door, you other structures coverage in your policy may be able to help pay for repairs.
When you file a claim for a broken window, you will need to pay your deductible out-of-pocket. If the cost of repairing a broken window is a couple of hundred dollars and your deductible is $1,000, you may consider fixing the window yourself rather than filing a claim. If your deductible is lower than the cost to repair the window repair, your policy will help to pay the difference, up to the coverage limits.
Homeowners insurance does help when a covered peril breaks the window. However, if you accidentally shatter the glass in a window, you will likely need to pay out-of-pocket for the repairs. It’s worth noting that your home insurance will not cover window maintenance issues or wear and tear. That means if your window is cracked from lack of maintenance and it’s drafty as a result, your home insurance will not cover the cost.
Does home insurance cover broken glass door?
Most types of doors have no home insurance coverage. However, this depends on what causes the break, similar to windows. For example, if a glass door breaks from warping, then this could be a result of a lack of care and attention. Generally, this falls under routine maintenance and upkeep. However, if the door’s glass is broken by burglars, your home insurance may step in to help.
If you’re unsure about coverage, talk it over with your insurance agent. Take photos of the damage to send to your insurer so that they can assess it. If you aren’t sure how the damage occurred, the insurance adjuster may be able to inspect the damage to understand how the glass was broken.
Before you file a claim, understand what deductible is listed on your home insurance policy. If you need to replace a large glass door or window, it could be thousands. If the glass just needs to be replaced, it could be a couple of hundred.
If you have valuable windows, such as stained glass or large panels, talk to your insurer about adding extra coverage to your policy.
To properly protect your home, secure reliable homeowners insurance. Contact Massive Insurance for all of your insurance needs in Pasadena and surrounding cities in California. We are ready to help you find the right coverage for your property.