Does Home Insurance Cover Fences in the UK?

Does home insurance cover fences in the UK?

Sadly, the answer is not a straightforward yes or no. While most home insurance companies will provide some coverage for gates and fences, certain exclusions apply. 

So, what kind of damage to your garden fence is covered and what is excluded? What do you need to do to make a claim?

Keep on reading to learn more about fences and home insurance in the UK. 

What Kind of Homeowners Insurance Offers Fence Coverage?

Most insurance companies in the UK include damages to fences as part of their standard buildings insurance policies. 

Buildings insurance covers the cost to repair or rebuild your house in case of fire, storm, vandalism or theft and it extends to all the elements within the boundaries of your home, including fences, gates, greenhouses and garden sheds. 

To cover moveable items in your garden, such as things kept in the shed or pots, you will need to take out contents insurance. 

However, there is the matter of the fine print. While most insurance providers will pay for damages to your boundaries caused by fire and vandalism, they will not do so in the event of a storm, high winds or flood. 

In fact, when it comes to gates, fences and storm damage, most insurance policies will not provide coverage. causing a lot of disputes between policyholders and insurers when storm Eunice hit earlier this year. Even if your insurance company does cover storm damages to fences, your insurer will probably want proof that the gates and fences were maintained to a sufficient standard—otherwise, they might reject your claim.

In What Events Are Your Fences Covered by Home Insurance?

Homeowners insurance will cover fence and gate damage in the following events:

A fire

Almost all insurers will cover damages caused to the home in the event of a fire.

Vandalism 

Vandalism or malicious damage is also covered under buildings insurance in both houses and flats. However, you may need to prove that the damages have not been the result of negligence, for instance, you haven’t left the gate open or failed to take reasonable security measures. 

Damages caused by falling trees

Usually buildings insurance will pay out for damages caused by falling trees, unless the tree has fallen as a result of a storm or if it was not safe to begin with—insurers will not cover damages that could have been avoided through regular upkeep and maintenance. 

If your neighbour’s tree has caused the damage you must claim against them on their own insurance. Alternatively, should you be able to prove that they have been negligent (i.e. knew beforehand that the tree was not safe), you could claim on your own insurance policy. 

What Kinds of Damages to Fences Are Not Covered by Home Insurance?

In most cases, your home insurance policy will not provide coverage if 

• The damage to your fences and gates was caused by storms, floods, or subsidence;
• You have not lived in the property for 30 or 60 days (depending on your policy). If this is the case you need to get unoccupied home insurance;
• Your fences and gates have not been maintained to a reasonable standard or have already started showing signs of wear and tear;
• You are letting out your property to tenants. To get coverage in this situation, you need to take out landlords insurance; 
• You carried out DIY jobs and damaged the fence yourself—in this case, you will need to pay for the costs yourself.

What to Do Before Claiming Fence Damage on Your Insurance?

These are the steps to follow when you make an insurance claim for fence damage.

1. Go through your policy to check whether you are covered or not. 

As mentioned above all policies come with certain exclusions, so read your policy documents (including the small print).

2. Collect evidence

Photos, videos and receipts for work done on your fences or gates—all of these will support your claim.

3. Contact your insurer 

Call your insurance company as soon as you can and tell them what happened. Ask if you can arrange temporary repairs in the meantime to prevent the damage from becoming more serious and to protect your property.

How to Keep Your Fences and Gates Protected?

It is estimated that fences and gates can last for 20 years or longer if taken care of properly. Here is what you can do to ensure a longer lifespan.

• Check if any lockable bolts on the doors or gates are becoming loose or showing other signs of wear and tear; 
• Make sure fences and gates are regularly cleaned and lubricated to prevent the formation of rust on the latches and hinges;
• Check for signs of rotting and replace the parts if necessary; 
• Keep wooden panels protected by using an appropriate primer or staining;
• If possible coat both sides of the gate and fence at the same time—this will keep them from warping and losing shape;
• Cut any overhanging branches from nearby trees that could fall on the fence and damage it.