Homeowners insurance is meant to cover acute damage caused by events outside of a homeowner’s control. It will pay for repairs associated with unforeseen losses, such as sudden damage caused by a storm. However, homeowners insurance does not cover foreseeable losses. Many people are surprised when they file a claim for a problem that they think they should be covered, but their insurance company refuses to pay for repairs, citing lack of maintenance.
Homeowners Have a Duty to Maintain Their Property
A typical homeowners insurance policy does not cover wear and tear. The insurance company expects a homeowner to perform routine maintenance, to have the house inspected on a regular basis, to contact a professional if a problem arises and have repairs made promptly. If the homeowner meets those requirements and the house becomes damaged by a covered peril, such as a storm, the insurance company will pay the claim. If the homeowner neglected maintenance, the claim may be denied.
Damage Often Falls Into a Gray Area
In some cases, a homeowners insurance company may deny a claim for damage associated with a covered peril. The insurer may argue that the owner didn’t properly maintain the house and that the damage was caused or aggravated by wear and tear. This is particularly common in cases involving older properties.
When multiple factors contribute to damage, a homeowners insurance company will look at the root cause of the problem. If the insurer determines that the root cause was lack of maintenance, it can deny the claim, even if a covered peril contributed to the damage.
For instance, a roof may be damaged in a storm and may leak. If the insurance company determines that the homeowner failed to have the roof inspected and didn’t properly maintain it, and the shingles blow off in a storm that resulted in the leak, the company may deny the claim, arguing that the homeowner was negligent.
In this example, the roof leak was due to the homeowner’s failure to maintain the property. At the very least, the lack of maintenance allowed the problem to become worse.
Take Care of Your House
Routine maintenance is one of the responsibilities associated with owning a home. It can be expensive, but neglecting your property is likely to lead to bigger problems that will cost more to fix down the road.
If you fail to care for your house and file a homeowners insurance claim for significant damage, the company may refuse to cover the bill. You may be forced to pay out of pocket for major repairs that could have been avoided if you had kept up with regular maintenance.
Don’t fall into this trap. Set aside money for maintenance and repairs each month, have your house inspected on a regular basis and do what’s necessary to address and prevent problems.
