As a Southwest Florida resident, you’ve probably gone through extensive measures to protect your home against hurricanes and other powerful weather events. From sturdy hurricane shutters to darn near impenetrable doors–wind or rain is no match for your home’s forcefield.
But after one particularly harsh storm, you hear a tremendous crack of lightning and an echoing crash. What in the world?
That’s your big Royal Palm Tree on your detached garage. Or we should say, what used to be your garage. Its roof is half crumbled and your car— which you thought would be safe inside.
Is this damage covered by your homeowners insurance policy? The short answer is, yes and no. Let’s see what is and what isn’t included.
The Benefits of Broad-Range Coverage
Many homeowners choose a broad-range policy, often called an HO-3, because of the policy protects against a wide array of perils, unless it details specific exclusions.*
Not only does this type of coverage typically protect your home, but it also extends to attached and sometimes detached structures— like a garage or carport. Many of these policies also cover personal injury liability too, in the event someone was injured on the property during the occurrence.
In the event of the example we mentioned above, with the right coverage, this SWFL resident’s damaged garage structure (and likely some of its interior belongings) are protected up to the policy’s defined limits. For example, if the limit was 10%, a $200,000 policy would cover up to $20,000 worth of damage to their garage.
*Most of these policies do not safeguard against floods, and require separate flood protection. As a Florida homeowner, this is worth looking into! Ask us about additional flood insurance.
Homeowners Insurance & Your Car
Unfortunately, your car itself is probably a different story in this particular scenario.
For car coverage in the event of a natural disaster, you’ll need an auto insurance policy that includes comprehensive coverage. Most homeowners insurance will only cover damage in the event of physical intrusion (i.e. if a vehicle crashes into your home, or let’s say, your fence)— not if your car was destroyed while inside of your garage or while sitting in your driveway.
As you can see, there are certain items that aren’t protected if they are damaged inside your garage. Your protection will vary based on your specific policy, and your other individual policies.
Do you have specific questions about the safety of your garage or its contents? Give us a call at (239) 210-7700 and talk with someone from our team. Or, request a quick and easy homeowners insurance quote by taking a few minutes to fill out the linked form.
Here at Culbertson Agency, we offer better insurance, no tricks. Reach out today.
