Are Gutter Damages Covered by Your Homeowners Policy?

Gutters are an important component of your property's water drainage system. They function by rerouting water away from your home's foundation. While maintaining gutters is much less difficult than, say, maintaining roofs, gutters can nevertheless become easily damaged by the same perils that can damage your roof. So, will your homeowners coverage cover damages to your gutter? Continue reading to discover more about how various homeowners insurance policies may provide coverage for gutter damage.

Introduction to Gutter Coverage Policy Types

Gutter damage may or may not be covered by your homeowners insurance, depending on the type of policy you have and how it has been worded. They generally fall into one of two categories:

• Named-peril Policy: This kind of policy is designed in a way that lists all the perils that could damage any structure of your property, including gutters. Among these perils include lightning, hail, fire, vandalism, and falling objects or hailstones. You can count on your insurer to pay for gutter damage if it results from one of the perils mentioned in the policy.
• Open-peril Policy: This insurance policy is the exact opposite of a named-peril policy. The text of your policy lists all the perils that are not covered by it rather than all the perils that could harm your property. Therefore, a wide range of risks is covered by this type of policy since they're open-ended.

Typical Exclusions

Whether you have a named-peril policy or an open-peril policy, it is best to check with your insurer about gutter damage coverage. There may be additional riders on your current policy that can help pay for gutter repairs if they are not already covered. On the other hand, the following list of typical exclusions will not be covered even if you add additional riders to your policy:

• Disasters (such as earthquakes or acts of war)
• Normal Wear & Tear
• Damages Due to Negligence

How Do Deductibles Work?

The amount you must pay before the insurance provider begins to compensate you is known as a deductible. Suppose your homeowners insurance deductible is $500; in such case, you will be responsible for covering any gutter damages up to that sum. Your insurance company will only cover the difference when the cost of losses exceeds the deductible.

Homeowners Deductibles during Specific Disasters

A different kind of deductible–”a percentage deductible–”is provided as an alternative to the usual standard deductible, which only applies in certain circumstances. As the name suggests, if your property is harmed by a certain natural disaster, such as wind, hail, or a hurricane, you will only be responsible for paying a deductible for a set percentage of the insured value of your property. These deductibles normally range from 1 to 10 percent of your property's insured value.

Such deductibles may or may not be applicable depending on particular "triggers" that your insurance company has decided upon. These triggers vary by state and insurance provider.

The Significance of Understanding Your Policies

It is best to familiarize yourself with and fully comprehend every element of your homeowners policy before you need it since this relieves you of the pressure of having to do so after a disaster. If your gutters are covered by warranty, be sure to fully comprehend the limit of that warranty's coverage, as your insurance may or may not cover the costs for what isn't covered by the warranty, depending upon the policy.

Cover Your Gutter Damages with CF&P Insurance

Get in touch with our experts here at CF&P Insurance Brokers if you have any queries regarding whether your existing homeowners policy covers gutter damage. Don't hesitate to contact us if you are looking for the most affordable homeowners policy in the market that checks off all the things on your list, including gutter damage.

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