Home insurance provides financial coverage for incidents that are accidental and unintentional. This may include damage to the home’s windows. However, there are limitations on when home insurance will replace a window. If you have a shattered window, here’s what you need to know about filing a claim.
The Cause of the Broken Window
Ultimately, home insurance may help cover damage to a window. However, it will depend on the cause. What caused the damage? Home insurance may help you from accidental situations such as the following:
- Someone threw something at the window accidentally. For example, your child hits a baseball through the window. There should be no intention to damage the window by someone living in the home, however.
- A storm causes a tree branch to hit the window.
- Wind causes something to hit the window with force, shattering it.
These are some of the most common causes of window damage. However, most policies do not cover instances where negligence plays a role. Here is an example. A tree branch hits the window as it is falling. The tree has damage from a previous storm. The branch’s damage caused it to fall, not the storm itself. Most commonly, this relates to poor maintenance and upkeep. Your home insurance may not pay for incidents result from preventable damage.
Another key concern relates to poor maintenance of the window. In general, home insurance does not cover the need to replace windows that are old or worn. If they have a broken seal, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to repair it. Any instance where the windows need repair or replacement due to normal wear and tear does not have coverage.
Deductible Factors Are Important
Most home insurance has a deductible. This is the amount you must pay towards any claim. A common level is $1,000. If the damage to the window is less than this, the insurance company will not cover any of the loss. You must pay the initial deductible amount. This can make replacing a window through your home insurance coverage hard to do.
If you are unsure what your options are, contact your home insurance agent. They can tell you if you have insurance coverage. They will also tell you how much your deductible will be. Do not move or clean up the damage from the window right away. Contact your home insurance agent first. They may need verification of what occurred. Photos can help document this information as well.