It happens more often than you might think. Someone hits the gas instead of the brake–or stops paying attention for a split-second–and your garage door crumples like a paper bag. Now what? Whose insurance covers the damages?

Does homeowner’s insurance pay for garage door damage?

The only way to find out for sure whether or not your home insurance covers garage door damages is to call your agent or read your policy to find out. If your insurance policy lists "collision" as a named peril, then driving into your garage door is almost certainly covered, though it does depend on who was driving the car when the accident occurred.

If you or a member of your family was driving the vehicle that damaged your garage door (or a section of your home), your homeowner’s insurance is the most likely candidate for covering the damage. If someone else was driving the car, their auto liability insurance should cover the damages.

If my home insurance won’t pay for the damages, what are my other options?

If you’ve checked your policy and determined that your home insurance won’t pay for the garage door damage, your next step is to check with your auto insurance provider to see if your policy covers the damage. If you have a comprehensive policy, it might cover the damages to your car and to your garage as well.

If you have more questions, you can find answers by contacting us here in Matthews, NC. As local agents, we’ll be able to give you a good idea of the type of insurance that will protect you and answer questions about the ways auto and homeowner’s insurance overlap.