Home Insurance Articles

Knowing Whether To Contact Your Insurer After Making Home Repairs

2010-07-06

It can often be difficult to know when contacting a home insurance company is the prudent course of action. Sometimes, small repairs to a home become necessary, either due to general wear and tear, or because of a minor storm or mischief incident. In cases where the damage is not substantial physically, but may be monetarily, it can be confusing for homeowners trying to figure out just what their best course of action should be. Home insurance policies are notoriously strict about what they will and will not cover, and many customers fear that any claim, no matter how small, will come with an increase in premiums, or may not be covered at all. When it comes to home repairs, there are few rules of thumb to follow as to when they should be reported to an insurance company.

The first is to determine if the work done is a repair or an upgrade. Even if work began as a repair but ended in a new room being built, or new furnace being installed, the insurance company will want to know about it. In some cases, such the new furnace mentioned, or new windows being installed, reporting to the insurance company can actually cause a decrease in premiums because the home is now safer and at less risk of generating a claim.

Second, a homeowner must consider the nature of the damage that necessitated the repair. General weather damage over a period of 10 years on a shingled roof will not be covered under insurance as it was not one catastrophic event that caused the damage, but rather repetitive and usual wear over time. A series of broken windows, either due to a hail storm or vandalism, will likely be covered by an insurance policy. A single broken window because of an accident involving the homeowner and a ladder will not likely be covered. Third, always take into account who performed the work. Home repairs done by the homeowner are less likely to paid out unless they are a general contractor and can supply invoices detailing the cost and time the work took. Insurance companies want hard facts, not estimations, and therefore any major repair project that may potentially be reported to an insurance company should be carried out by a professional who can provide not only credentials, but a detailed bill of service.

While it may seem as though home insurance companies strive to avoid payment, it is more accurate to say that they will only pay for what is laid out in their policies. So long as a homeowner follows the steps and requirements set down in their agreement, there are home repairs which can be covered by home insurance.