You find yourself running ten minutes late, rushing out the door to get to work, and whipping your car into reverse after realizing you forgot your wallet. Crash! Looking up in shock, you find your rear view mirror depicting what looks like a garage door horror scene. When the place you spend every Sunday tinkering with car engines, new tools and old storage bins becomes damaged, what do you do?

SHOULD I CALL MY HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE COMPANY?

If the scenario above hits close to home for you, then your answer is yes. Car insurance usually doesn’t handle garage door damage if you are the cause of your own personal property damage. So in this case, you will want to call your homeowner’s insurance and file a claim.

Every scenario is a little different when it comes to handing insurance, knowing what is covered, and who to contact. Keep reading to find out how to handle hail damaged, spray paint vandalism, and car dented garage door problems.

WHAT OTHER TYPES OF GARAGE DOOR DAMAGE ARE COVERED?

Sometimes damages or accidents happen that are out of your control. Luckily in these scenarios homeowner’s insurance is usually on your side. If you find your garage door being targeted by acts of vandalism or extreme weather, you can typically file a homeowner’s insurance claim and get the damages covered. If your scenario is the same or similar to the ones below, make sure to double check your policies, get a few different bids on the cost of the work and then make that claim.

Here are some examples of damages that are covered:

  • My garage door was used as a backdrop for someone’s newest spray-painting masterpiece or as a batting practice target
  • My garage door was involved in a hit-and-run
  • My garage door has suffered hail damage or has been destroyed by a fallen tree (coverage can vary depending on garage location)

WHAT TYPES OF DAMAGE ARE NOT COVERED?

It’s possible that your damages won’t be covered by insurance, but it’s even more important to double check the fine print on your insurance policies. You will want to make sure you aren’t covered by insurance before considering what to do next. If you find yourself in one of these scenarios listed below, don’t panic! You still have some options that we will go over in the next section.

Here are some examples of damages that aren’t covered:

  • My garage door won’t open or isn’t working properly
  • Our friends from out of town accidentally backed into our garage with their car (this isn’t typically covered as it is usually the responsibility of the driver to cover the damages)

IF IT’S NOT COVERED, WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

So, you’ve decided it isn’t worth it to pay your deductible and risk the increase of your insurance premiums to file an insurance claim. Maybe your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover your garage door damage or you just feel it’s time for an upgrade.

What do you do now?

Your two options are to get your garage door replaced or hire someone to come and fix the damages. So how do you decide if it’s better to repair or replace your damaged garage door? A few things to consider before making a decision are the extent of the damages and how much money you’re wanting to spend.

Whether you decide to indulge in a new garage door or repair portion(s) of your current one, always double check your policies, get multiple quotes and do more research. Remember that each scenario is different, and if you decide not to or can’t file a claim with insurance, you have options