Garage doors do a great job of keeping our homes secure. They also add a touch of beauty that enhances the overall appeal of the home. However, the doors are prone to damages. Many kinds of damages can occur to a garage door, and depending on the extent of the damage, it may require a simple repair or maybe even a replacement. One other consideration is whether damage to the garage door will be covered by insurance or end up being an out-of-pocket expense. Here’s how to know if your Garage Door Repair Tualatin service provider will collect from your insurance company.
Homeowners Insurance
Homeowners insurance is a kind of property coverage that covers damage, loss of the structure and other things such as furniture and personal belongings. These policies are available for different terms, such as a one-year or a ten-year term, to better suit your needs. Homeowners insurance is also used to cover liability claims due to bodily injury, death, or property damage resulting from accidents on your property.
Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Garage Door Repair?
While many homeowners are led to believe that their policies extend to cover damage to garage doors, this is not entirely true as it varies depending on the kind of insurance plan you have signed up for. Under a standard policy, if there is any damage to your garage door, you will have to pay for a garage door spring repair out of pocket. Garage door service Tualatin companies are not bound by your coverage, which means whatever they repair or replace is not covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy. So if you want to get the best of both worlds, make sure you sign up for an extended plan that covers damage to your garage door.
Extended homeowners insurance plans typically cover damages to the garage door openers, but they will often have specific stipulations and standards that must be met. For example, if you got a policy for $500 per year and your claim is for $800 worth of a broken garage door repair work, your insurer would only pay the difference of $300. If your garage door is not in good working condition, this may be a smart move to get it fixed or replaced under extended insurance coverage; otherwise, you would be paying more out of pocket than necessary.
When Can You Find Yourself Paying for Garage Door Repair?
As a general rule, if you damage your garage door with an intentional act, such as driving into it or lighting it on fire, there is no coverage for that. You have to pay out of pocket for garage door opener repair or replacement work up to the value of your policy limit. The same goes for damages from natural causes such as windstorms and floods; in this case, you will only be able to get assistance from your insurer if damage exceeds the coverage limit.
Vandalism, Theft, Fire
A break-in is not typically covered, but damage resulting from an attempted break-in after garage door installation may be covered if you establish that the perpetrator deliberately caused the damage. You would also need to demonstrate that it was reasonably foreseeable that your garage door may suffer such a fate.
If you have an extended policy, vandalism is covered. Most standard policies only cover replacement costs for vandalized garage doors, while some extend to total loss replacement. However, the extent of the damage must be assessed by a local representative such as the police. In most cases, any “breaking and entering” is usually accompanied by other damages to the property.
Standard Insurance does not cover burglary, Accidents and Acts of Nature. Storms, floods, and tornadoes should be covered under a standard homeowners plan, but there are limitations on how much they will pay for total loss replacement or garage door opener repair. In most cases, damage to doors is limited to a specific dollar amount, which varies by company. So, if your damage is below that figure, you will have to foot the entire bill on your own. If the damage costs more than what your plan covers, you will only be able to get money for garage door spring repair where total loss replacement is not possible.
Car Damage
If it is proven that damage to your new garage door was caused by a vehicle, most insurers will cover the garage door repair or replacement, while others may limit the payout to $250. For example, if you have an accident and damage your garage door and your car but only file a claim for the door’s damage, some companies may reimburse you up to $250 for the door and refuse to pay anything for your car. If you have comprehensive coverage, then you can sometimes collect from this part of your policy when there is car damage in addition to Tualatin garage door service.
Filing a Claim
Filing an insurance claim for your damaged garage door is straightforward. Determine if you plan to file a claim under your homeowner’s policy or comprehensive coverage and proceed accordingly. If you have an extended contract, be sure to keep all the required paperwork related to the garage door repair work and damage claims in case they are needed at a later date.
Conclusion
In most cases, garage door damage is covered under homeowner’s insurance if you can prove that it was not intentional. However, there may be some stipulations and limitations in certain situations where the extent of coverage is determined by a local representative like the police officer or an adjuster from your insurer.
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FAQ
Does insurance cover door damage?
If you file a homeowner’s insurance claim for your damaged garage door in Tualatin, Oregon, the extent of the coverage is literally up to the insurance company. This means that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to damages. The insurer may choose to pay out fully for replacement or not if they consider the damage as being minor.
What do you do if someone hits your garage door?
The best thing to do in this case if someone hits your door is to contact your insurer. Ensure that you get a reference number and note down the exact time, date, and place of the incident. They will then send an adjuster to inspect the damage.
How much does it cost to repair a damaged garage door?
The cost of garage door repair Tualatin depends on the extent of damage and whether it will be fixed or replaced. If it is covered by insurance, your insurer may pay out less money than what a professional would charge. On average, a great job could be the fair price of $100 – $300 for minor damage.