Once a tree limb fell down during an ice storm and damaged my front sidewalk. They wouldn’t pay to have the sidewalk repaired. Another time I needed plumbing done and the plumbers had to knock out the kitchen ceiling and part of a wall to get to the pipes and the also wouldn’t pay to have the plastering done. The agent says that these things are considered part of normal maintenance and so aren’t covered. What do they ever pay for?

 

  • mbrcatz 9:02 am on June 17, 2010

    Homeowners policies do not pay for maintenance stuff. It pays for sudden, accidental, unanticipated damage to a covered structure.

    Sidewalk and driveway isn’t covered structure. But normally, if you have a leak, on a standard HO3 policy, the damage a plumber has to do going through your walls to get to the pipe, IS covered. It would depend heavily, on WHY the plumber had to get to pipes.

    They pay for damage to your structure, that is NOT excluded. If the tree fell on your roof and damaged it, it would have paid for that. It covers fires, obviously, unless you set them yourself on purpose (arson). Theft claims are also pretty common.

    I’d double check with the agent . .. maybe they’re discouraging you from filing claims, unjustly. And maybe you should sit down and read your policy for yourself . . . to get an idea of what exactly isn’t covered.

  • stark_raving1 9:02 am on June 17, 2010

    Without seeing how your policy is worded, this would be difficult to comment on. I can only tell you my experience. I had storm damage about 10 years ago resulting in $11,000 damage to my home. The insurance paid, but I got dropped and had to scramble to find another underwriter. Nobody wanted to cover me because of that claim. When I complained to the company, they told me that homeowners insurance should only be used for "catastrophic" losses – like if your house burns down. Anything under at least half the value of the house, you are probably expected to pay for out-of-pocket.

  • old school 9:02 am on June 17, 2010

    never. they have never paid out on a single claim in written history. *sarcasm*

    we can’t speak for your specif case as we do not make the determinations. of course they pay.

  • lucy 9:02 am on June 17, 2010

    Now if a tree fell on your house, causing damages to the roof/siding etc, your insurance company would pay for any repairs to the roof and siding caused by the tree falling. But say that tree is dead and consequently fell, they might deny since you were aware of the tree dying and could expect it to fall sometime in the future.

    Also in your plumbing scenario, if the pipes "suddenly burst", causing the plastering to cave in and subsequently flood damages, then the insurance company would pay for the plaster and damages caused by the flooding.

    HO insurance is for unexpected events. ie; fire/lightning/flood.
    What you had like your agent stated is normal maintenance and if they were to cover those, your premium would be at least 10 times higher than it is now.

    hope that makes sense

  • William 9:02 am on June 17, 2010

    homeinsurance.awardspace.us – try this one. Got my home insurance from them. As I know they provide such a service.

    • People are reading:

    can my insurance refuse to pay for my floor falling threw?, if your truck crashes into your wall do you file with auto ot homeowners insurance, insurance refuses to pay claim for unvented roof, sidewalk damage covered on homeowners