Insurance and Fencing

I think the kid who did the damage is responsible for replacing it, not your insurance. You file a claim, your rates go up.

Yes, you deserve for the fence to be consistant and look as good or better than it did before the kid hit it.

I don't mean to sound harsh toward the kid but they are responsible enough to be driving, they are responsible enough to do the right thing when they mess up.

I am a mom of a new driver as well and I would hold her to the same standard.

.

Insurance does not typically cover the damage and line of sight. Insurance does not pay to match old to new. They might pay for gross mismatch, such as a particular roofing material not being made anymore or a siding product not being made anymore. It doesn't make financial sense for an insurance company to have to replace an entire roof for 5 damaged shingles. Or an entire fence for only 3 or 4 sections being damaged.

You definitely need to call the insurance company ASAP. The insurance companies have a right to inspect the damage and verify the claim. They might pay for the damage after you have fixed it, but it's not a guarantee. If they do pay for it, with it being a liability claim, they should pay you replacement cost. However, if your homeowners insurance comes into play, a lot of major companies pay actual cash value for wood fences, which accounts for depreciation. Plus, it might not even come close to your deductible. Next time, call the insurance company first before you do anything to the damage.

depends on your carrier and endorsements you may have on your home owners policy. definitely call your agent/adjuster and see what your options are.

Hi, DB:
Do you have the name and address of the kid?

If you do, get an estimate for replacing your fence.

Present what you think woul be fair for the parents to
pay for their part of the replacement value of the fence.
Just a thought.
D.

The kid's insurance would pay for any damages. Depending on where the damage is, they might pay to replace a whole side or just the damaged sections. You can ask the adjuster for the whole side since a mismatch would affect your curb appeal. Doesn't hurt to ask, and if they say no, then you'd be responsible for any additional cost. That still would be better than having to pay for the whole thing.

M.

IT's typically standard to replace the damage and "line of sight" which would mean they should replace the whole fence. With that said we had State Farm years ago and they wouldn't. With them they wouldn't even pay the actual costs of replacement, they paid for the damage minus devalueation for age or something stupid.
I would ask your insurance if they replace "line of sight".

If they can't find the fencing to match it, they will give you replacement cost.

Thats what happened to me with my siding. We couldn't find the same siding (old aluminum siding), so the insurance company just replaced the whole house.