Maybe your walls are looking a little worse for wear. Or maybe it is time to add a new color to your siding. If your home needs paint work, be ready to spend a little money.
You might wonder if a new coat of paint counts as a home repair? Will your homeowners insurance cover it? In some cases, you might find that you do have protection to cover a paint job. However, in many cases you won’t. So, be ready to pay for new paint out of your own pocket.
When will Homeowners Insurance Cover Paint?
Homeowners insurance can help residents repair their home following unpreventable or unavoidable damage. So, let’s look at homeowner’s coverage in the context of covering paint damage.
Should your home experience severe damage from a covered hazard, your insurance policy might pay for the materials to repair it. Suppose that when a fire damages the structure, you need the money to rebuild. Your policy will likely provide money for the materials you need to fix the property. For example, it might cover woodwork, certain furnishings and the necessary paint work.
Exclusions for Paint Coverage
Still, don't think that because you have insurance, you will be able to repaint whenever you want. Restrictions on coverage will exist.
Remember, homeowners insurance’s purpose is to help you recover from unavoidable hazards. Simply wanting to repaint your living room is not an unpreventable danger. Your insurance likely won’t cover it. Nor will insurance likely cover paint deterioration that results from wear and tear.
To receive funds from a claim, your policy must also not exclude the cause of the damage. One common exclusion of most homeowners policies is flood coverage, for example.
If a weather-related flood causes water damage, your policy won’t likely cover it. You might need a special flood insurance policy to insure these damages. However, water damage from burst pipes might have coverage on homeowners insurance. The cause of the flooding might determine your eligibility for coverage. As floods often cause paint damage, talk to your insurer about how to protect yourself against these risks. Ask them specifically how your policy covers water damage.
Ensure that your policy provides adequate coverage levels to afford home repairs. Policies will pay up to a certain limit for most damages. Depending on the value of your home, and how much you can afford for repairs, you will need unique coverage limits. If you own a home in CA, NV, WA, or AZ, make sure your home insurance policy will provide adequate coverage for the risks your home faces.