Florida homeowners want to protect their investments, and a homeowner’s insurance policy supports the cause. When purchasing homeowner’s insurance, buyers may think about damage from storms, burst pipes, fires, and more. A policy’s personal liability protection coverage may further protect homeowners from financial losses. Will a policy cover repairs related to broken windows, though? The answer depends on the circumstances.
Windows can suffer damage for various reasons, and a policy could cover the repairs if the damage falls under a policy’s covered perils. If someone were to throw a brick through a window, the damage could fall under the vandalism category. Interestingly, if the homeowner accidentally broke someone else’s window, his/her liability coverage could pay for it. Deliberately breaking another person’s window, however, would doubtfully fall under such coverage.
Certain perils may come with deductibles. Wind damage, in particular, may come with a high deductible. If wind causes $1,500 in damage to windows and the deductible is $4,000, then the homeowner would pay out-of-pocket entirely.
Homeowners need to be aware that homeowner’s insurance policies generally do not cover neglect or routine maintenance damages. If the adjuster determines the owner’s outright negligence led to the loss, then the claim may receive a denial.
Also, exclusions in the homeowner’s policy could make filing a claim futile. “Collapsing structures” may receive exclusions. If a roof leak goes undetected or ignored, and the structure weakens, the windows may suffer damage as the upper floor of the home sinks. The damage might not be covered under the policy. Homeowners do need to read their policy contracts carefully. Sometimes, learning the scope of exclusions may prompt policyholders to seek a new insurance company.
Insurance law and contracts might be confusing to some policyholders. Directing questions to an attorney could lead to clarification. An attorney might represent policyholders in lawsuits against insurance providers over denied claims, bad faith, or breach of contract.