{"id":1026,"date":"2018-07-30T13:35:13","date_gmt":"2018-07-30T17:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.protectiveagency.com\/blog\/?p=1026"},"modified":"2024-02-24T15:58:03","modified_gmt":"2024-02-24T19:58:03","slug":"structural-damage-covered-homeowners-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.protectiveagency.com\/blog\/structural-damage-covered-homeowners-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Structural Damage Covered by Homeowners Insurance?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Definitely maybe, but most likely not.<\/p>\n

Maybe you\u2019ve noticed your doors and windows don\u2019t close as snugly as they did years ago. Or perhaps cracks are appearing in the walls and foundation where they weren\u2019t before.<\/p>\n

Regardless of the sign, structural damage may be the culprit of unsightly changes to your foundation, walls, and roof. Whether or not your insurance policy will cover structural damage primarily depends on one thing \u2013 the cause of the damage.<\/p>\n

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Defining Structural Damage<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Structural damage may be one of those things where \u2018you know it when you see it.\u2019 However, when it comes to insurance, the state insurance commissions or court system will have specific wording defining structural damage.<\/p>\n

In states like Florida, where sinkholes are a persistent threat, structural damage requires damage which impairs the structural integrity of the building. Simply having physical damage to a home isn\u2019t enough to declare structural damage.<\/p>\n

This is important because whether certain provisions within an insurance policy responds will rely upon a home having structural damage. For example, some insurance policies exclude structural loss resulting from a sinkhole. If a home only has physical damage after a sinkhole event, coverage may be available when the structural integrity of a house has not been impacted.<\/p>\n

However, almost every insurance policy will exclude structural damage when it was not the result of a sudden accidental or weather-related event.<\/p>\n

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Causes of Structural Damage<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Structural damage to your home can be the result of a one or more factors when not caused by weather or sudden accidental events. Hiring an inspector will help not only determine if your home has structural damage, but also the root cause of the problem.<\/p>\n

Whenever there is a claim, one of the adjuster\u2019s first priorities is determining the cause of loss. Your policy will either specifically list 10 or 16 defined covered perils or cover all perils unless otherwise excluded. In general, all homeowner policies will at least cover:<\/p>\n