Does Home Insurance Cover Garage Doors?

Is your garage door covered by home insurance? This depends on your specific homeowners insurance policy and the type of damage your garage door has sustained, but in the majority of cases, the answer is yes. Let’s discuss when your garage door often is, and is not, covered by homeowners insurance.

Types of Home Insurance Coverage for Garage Doors

Basic Coverage

Basic coverage on your homeowners insurance policy protects you from some types of damage that your home may incur. The general term “basic coverage” usually encompasses various types of protection in the event that something unfortunate happens to your home.

Your garage door is technically on the outside of your home, or it may even be part of a separate structure if it’s a detached garage. Since basic coverage often includes the dwelling itself and other structures, your garage door is often covered.

Dwelling Coverage

Under the umbrella of basic coverage is dwelling coverage. Dwelling coverage helps cover the cost of repairs to your home should something happen to its physical structure. It also includes coverage for attachments to your home such as attached garages and decks. The following types of damage are generally covered:

• Fire
• Windstorm
• Lightning
• Hail
• Vandalism
• Theft

Refer to your specific homeowners insurance policy, or contact your agent, to determine which types of damage are covered for your garage door repair or replacement. Your policy will also tell you what your deductible is if you choose to use your insurance for garage door repair or replacement purposes.

Other Structures Coverage

If you have a detached garage, your other structures’ coverage may come in handy. Other structural coverage includes parts of your home that aren’t directly attached to the main structure. Aside from detached garages, other insured structure types may include fences and swimming pools. The specific covered perils are often the same as what’s covered for your home, so check your homeowners policy to see what exactly this entails, or contact your agent directly.

Other structures' coverage is typically based on a percentage of your dwelling coverage. For example, if you have $500,000 in dwelling coverage, you may only have $50,000 in other structures coverage. In many cases, the option to raise this limit does exist — contact your insurance agent if you own a detached garage to see what options are available.

Personal Property Coverage

Whereas dwelling and other structure coverages are concerned with protecting your garage and garage door, personal property coverage is for covering the belongings that you keep inside your garage.

This coverage type could be useful if something such as theft is involved in your insurance claim. You could use your dwelling or other structures coverage for repairing or replacing your garage door, and personal property coverage for recouping the value of any belongings lost as a result of the theft.

Personal property coverage usually covers both attached and detached garages and falls under the umbrella of basic homeowners insurance.

Additional Coverage Options Not Under Basic Homeowners Insurance

The majority of basic homeowners insurance policies do not cover certain acts of God such as floods or earthquakes. If you live in an area that is prone to either of these natural disasters, contact your agent for details about possibly adding these upgrades to your policy to protect your garage door and other property.

Exclusions and Limitations for Home Insurance Coverage for Garage Doors

As thorough as the different homeowners insurance coverage types can be, there are some instances when your homeowners insurance is unlikely to cover damage to your garage door regardless of any policy upgrades you purchase.

Here are a few typical exclusions:

• Wear and tear: If your garage door is bent out of shape simply because of its age, your insurance likely will not reimburse you for any associated repair or replacement costs.
• Poor upkeep or maintenance: This is one reason why our experts recommend regular garage door tune-ups. If something happens to your garage door due to irregular or improper maintenance, your insurance will likely not cover it.
• Intentional damage: If you damage your garage door on purpose, your insurance company will not cover the cost.
• Business usage: If you run a business from your garage, your insurance company may not cover the cost of any damages to your garage door, particularly if that damage occurs as a result of business activities.

For specific information about your homeowners insurance policy, check with your insurance company.

FAQs about Home Insurance Coverage for Garage Doors

How do I go about filing a claim for damages to my garage door?

To file a home insurance claim for your garage door, we recommend taking the following steps:

• Verify the cause of the damage. Then check to see whether the cause for the damage is a covered peril under your insurance policy.
• Review your policy so that you can be prepared for any deductible that you’ll need to pay before the insurance starts to pay. You may also want to note any policy limitations so that you’re sure of how much damage your insurance will cover.
• Take photos of the damage from different angles. This will help with establishing credibility for your claim.
• Secure the damaged area of your garage door so that it doesn’t get damaged further.
• Call your insurance company to report the incident. Your insurance company will pair you with a claims adjuster who will conduct an investigation of the incident. At the conclusion of their investigation, your claims adjuster will determine an appropriate amount for your settlement.
• Contact a trusted garage door service for your garage door installation or repair.

Does my home insurance policy cover garage door damage caused by a vehicle?

Most likely, yes. The majority of home insurance policies cover any damage to your garage door that’s caused by a vehicle. However, since every policy and circumstance is different, check the terms and conditions of your specific policy, or contact your agent directly.

Still Have Questions?

If you still have questions about whether garage damage is covered by your homeowners insurance, please contact your insurance agent directly for details. Once you’re ready for repair, contact Precision Garage Door Service® at (877) 301-7474, or find the location nearest you.