Owning a home is one of the most exciting things you’ll do in your life, but it’s also one of the most demanding. Your home is bound to need improvements and damage repair over the years, with broken windows being no exception. There are so many windows surrounding your home, so an accident or bad weather shattering one of them is a big possibility. After homeowners accept the fact that damaged windows will likely happen at some point, the next question is whether or not their insurance policy will cover it. Broken windows obviously must be replaced, but the only question is who will pay the bill.
Insurance is rarely easy for consumers to understand on their own, because there are so many variances in providers and packages. Even if you’re under the impression that your policy covers window damage, you might not be totally right. Unfortunately, it all comes down to the little details and the fine print.
What Caused the Damage?
The burning question is, what caused the window damage? Your home insurance policy will likely provide coverage over incidences that are clearly outlined in the policy. Open-peril policies cover any losses that aren’t specifically covered in the policy. Named-risk policies do the exact opposite, in that they exclusively list the type of loss they’ll cover.
Let’s say Hurricane Matthew swept through your neighborhood and shattered a couple of your windows. This type of loss, a natural disaster, will be covered by both policy types and will result in window replacement reimbursement. But if you accidentally threw a baseball through your second story window, it’s possible you won’t be covered.
The Deductible
Does your insurance policy include a deductible? This is an important aspect of your coverage that often gets forgotten. Check on any deductible responsibilities before filing a claim with your home insurance carrier. More than likely, you have a deductible between $500-$1,000. Just to clarify, a deductible is a specific amount of money you must pay before an insurance company will pay a claim, in this case, pay for window replacement.
When you experience a loss within your home, the dollar amount of the loss must be in excess of the deductible in order for you to get reimbursed. For example, let’s say you have two broken windows that are part of a covered loss and your deductible is $1,000. You receive an estimate for $800 to do a window replacement. Since the amount of the loss is less than your deductible, you will not be reimbursed. But if the estimate came in at $1,500, you’d be reimbursed for the remaining amount after the deductible ($500).
Wear and Tear Scenario
Nearly all insurance policies don’t include losses that are the result of typical wear and tear. If your windows break because they’re old and should’ve been replaced years ago, they won’t be covered by your insurance, regardless of the price of the loss.
Home insurance policies are often unnecessarily difficult to understand, but reading thoroughly and communicating with your insurance carrier can go a long way. When you find yourself in a situation where you need a window replacement, the awesome team at American Window Products will get the job done quickly and correctly.