Many times, property owners do everything they can to take care of their home. When something happens in this situation, such an accident, it is up to the homeowner to make the repairs. To do so, many contact their home insurance agent to learn about coverage options. Home insurance can help in some situations. However, if neglect is the cause of the damage, your policy may not apply.

Cause Is Always a Factor

Read through your home insurance policy. When you do, you may see that your coverage applies only to accidental, unavoidable situations. That means this is a situation where the problem is not a result of wear and tear or maintenance neglect. If neglect occurs, your policy may not apply to the situation. Here are a few examples.

Let’s say a fire occurs. The fire marshal determines the cause of the fire was a dryer. A dryer in the home can catch on fire for many reasons. However, if it was directly related to poor maintenance – such as not cleaning the dryer vent – the company may elect not to cover the losses. Most often, policies will provide coverage when an accident occurs. Failing to clean out the vent is not an accident to most insurers.

A common example of where the home needs maintenance is the roof. The roof provides protection for the rest of the structure. When there is a leak, it gets into your home, into your attic, and can even impact the foundation. As a result, it is up to you to find the leaks and make repairs to them right away to avoid more extensive damage.

Let’s say you do not do this. Then, water gets into the attic and saturates the insulation. It continues to be a problem over a long period of time.

In this situation, your home insurance is not likely to pay for the extent of the damage. If the roof leak was due to a storm blowing off shingles, your insurance company may offer help. However, the amount of coverage depends on your actions and the underlying cause of an incident like this.

What Should You Do?

If you have damage to your home, act as soon as possible to fix it. Ultimately, it becomes essential for you to pinpoint the cause of any damage. Your home insurance agent can help. Contact them to find out if you can file a claim. They can also provide you with insight into what you can expect from your coverage.