Will Homeowner’s Insurance Pay for Chimney Damage?

When you spend your hard-earned money to purchase homeowner’s insurance, you expect that agreement to cover any problems that may arise with your home – both inside and out – and that will include your chimney. Unfortunately, comprehensive coverage is a misnomer as there are routine exceptions, exclusions, and caveats involved with what insurance companies do and don’t cover regarding chimney damage.

If you are ready to learn more about insurance coverage for your home’s chimney, continue reading.

Read Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy for Chimney Information

Let’s start with your homeowner’s insurance policy. When you are signing up for homeowner’s insurance with your insurer, it is your job to read the entirety of the insurance policy from the first word all the way through to the last one before signing any contracts. This doesn’t mean you are in a position to negotiate the insurance policy, it simply means that you are armed with knowledge before agreeing to the terms. This way, if you so choose, you can shop around for a better policy from another insurance company with a greater understanding of what is available.

As you are reviewing your policy, should you find any words or sections that are confusing or unclear, reach out to your insurance agent for clarification. If you are able to do so, contact your insurance agent via email so there is a record of your communications. This way, you can look back on their responses in case you need to revisit the issue or use the content for talking points with your partner later on so that every adult in your household understands the current coverage.

Even though the contract will likely not include everything in your structure, you still need to understand your rights and coverage options. This is especially true for specific parts of your home, such as a chimney. If your chimney is damaged, you should know and understand whether it will or won’t be covered by insurance.

When Will Homeowner’s Insurance Companies Pay for Chimney Damage?

If you have a chimney built into your home, you want to use it. But, when damage occurs, you obviously cannot safely use your fireplace and rely on the chimney to help expel the combustible smoke and gasses out of your home and into the environment. You need to pay a professional to make the necessary chimney repairs. The real question, though, is who pays for the repairs – you or your insurance company? Your insurer will likely pay for chimney repairs in the following scenarios that are considered to be caused by a covered peril or are considered accidental or sudden occurrences:

• Damage resulting from a hail storm.
• Fire damage from within the fireplace or from the home itself.
• Destruction from a windstorm and related debris.
• Lightning strikes and accompanying damage.
• Chimney water leaks into the fireplace and possibly into the home structure (if not due to neglect).
• Falling objects such as trees or power lines, and utility poles.

Under What Circumstances Will You Be Denied Insurance Payment for Chimney Damage?

There are a number of both common and uncommon circumstances that will result in the denial of any claim you make and subsequent payment from the insurance company regarding damage to your home’s chimney. This information is not intended to replace the information contained in your homeowner’s insurance policy paperwork. If you do experience any damage from the following scenarios, they may not be covered by your policy:

• Floods and accompanying water damage.
• War or incursions and any related damage.
• Normal wear and tear as a result of routine usage.
• Large-scale disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, or hurricanes, etc.
• Structural defects are caused by poor construction practices or the house settling or shifting in the ground over time.
• Lack of routine care and maintenance over time.
• Chimney collapse due to neglect.

Contact the Professionals at Sixpenny Chimney Today.

When you have experienced damage to your home, especially to your chimney, you should contact the professionals at Sixpenny Chimney. We are conveniently located in Northern Virginia. Our experts have years of experience and stand ready to talk with you about your chimney repair needs. Don’t let chimney damage get in the way of using your home as intended and for the fullest enjoyment possible. Reach out to our helpful staff. We’ll talk you through the process of what to do next and handle your unique situation for the best outcome. We will treat you like family and work to get your necessary chimney repairs taken care of as soon as possible.