Will insurance cover storm damage to a fence?
Short answer. Usually yes. A fence is covered under the other structures part of a homeowners policy, so damage from wind, hail, lightning or a falling tree is generally covered, while rot, termites, leaning posts and age are not. Because fence repairs often cost less than a storm deductible, the fence is usually worth claiming together with roof and other damage from the same storm.
How fence coverage works
- Coverage part: other structures, which often has a limit of about 10 percent of the dwelling limit.
- Covered causes: windstorm, hail, lightning, fire, vehicles and trees or limbs that fall on the fence.
- Deductible: the same deductible as the rest of the storm loss. A storm that damages the roof and the fence is one claim with one deductible.
What is not covered
- Posts that rotted at the ground line and finally gave way in a breeze
- Termite or insect damage
- Fences leaning from soil movement or poor installation
- Faded or weathered boards
Adjusters check the posts. Clean breaks and uprooted footings point to wind; soft, rotted bases point to age.
Whose tree, whose fence
If a neighbor's tree falls on your fence, your policy usually pays, regardless of whose tree it was, unless the neighbor was negligent about a tree known to be dead. For a shared boundary fence, talk with your neighbor and both insurers early.
Document it
- Photograph the whole fence line, broken posts and any tree or limb.
- Note the storm date.
- Include the fence in the same claim as roof, gutter and siding damage.
See the after a storm checklist, wind damage claims and percentage deductibles.