Will My Home Insurance Policy Cover Window Replacement?

Your homeowners insurance company will help you pay to repair or replace your windows if they are damaged suddenly by certain covered perils such as windstorms and falling objects. However, your policy won’t cover gradual window damage that could have been avoided with proper maintenance.

Check out the rest of the article to learn about when home insurance covers window replacement and what coverage types included in a standard policy can take care of costs related to damaged windows.

On This Page

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  Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Windows?

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  When Does Home Insurance Cover Window Damage?

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  Does Home Insurance Cover Window Replacement?

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  What Types of Home Insurance Coverages Offer Window Protection?

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  How To File a Home Insurance Claim for a Broken Window

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  How To Get Home Coverage for Your Windows

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  FAQs

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Windows?

Windows are generally covered by the dwelling insurance portion of a standard homeowners insurance policy. Dwelling coverage insures the parts that make up the physical structure of your home including your walls, floors, roof, support beams and foundation.^[1]

Does Home Insurance Cover Rotted Windows?

Home insurance generally doesn’t cover damage that occurs slowly over time, which means your policy likely won’t pay to repair wooden window frames that have rotted. Similarly, window rot caused by mold isn’t covered unless the mold can be linked to a different peril that your policy does cover. For example, your insurer may pay to replace rotted window frames if a tree branch crashes through your window during a storm and causes water damage that leads to mold growth.^[2]

Does Home Insurance Cover Broken Window Seals?

Your home insurance policy likely won’t cover many common causes of window seal failure such as progressive water damage and mold growth, fluctuating temperatures, improper installation, lack of maintenance and aging.^[3] Keep in mind that your insurance carrier won’t cover any type of predictable wear and tear or repairs that could reasonably be considered a part of your regular home maintenance.

When Does Home Insurance Cover Window Damage?

A standard home insurance policy should insure the structure of your home on an open peril basis, meaning it will cover any source of damage to your windows that is not expressly listed as an exclusion in the policy. Examples of perils that are generally covered include the following:

When Won’t Home Insurance Cover Window Damage?

Remember that gradual causes of window damage like foundation shifting and poor home maintenance aren’t covered by home insurance. Even if a covered peril damages your window, your insurance company could still deny your claim if there was already a significant crack in your window since you failed to take proper action to repair it and prevent further damage.

While homeowners insurance covers sudden and unexpected losses for the most part, there are some unpredictable perils that are still likely to be excluded from coverage such as the following:

• Floods
• Earthquakes
• Terrorism
• War
• Nuclear hazards

Does Home Insurance Cover Window Replacement?

Your home insurance company will help you pay to replace windows broken by covered perils as long as the cost of replacing those windows is below your dwelling coverage limit. For example, if a tornado destroys all of the windows in your sunroom, you can expect to pay somewhere between $3,500 and $15,000 to get new windows installed.^[4] As a result, if you have $250,000 worth of dwelling coverage, the cost of replacement windows will fit comfortably within your coverage limit and your insurer will fully cover the cost of replacements.

You should note that your insurance settlement will be the cost of replacing your damaged windows minus your deductible. For example, if you have a $1,000 deductible and a vandal causes $5,000 worth of damage by breaking multiple windows in your home, then your home insurance payout will be $4,000.

What About Repairs?

Similarly, your homeowners insurance company will cover window repairs after a covered peril, although you shouldn’t file a claim unless the cost of repairs exceeds your deductible. It costs $406 to get a single window fixed on average, so you likely won’t have any reason to file a claim for minor damage if you have a $500 deductible.^[5]

Even if the cost of repairs is slightly above your deductible, you still generally shouldn’t file a claim. Your rates can go up anytime you file a claim, which means paying for repairs out of pocket may save you money in the long run unless the cost of repairs is significantly higher than your deductible.

What Types of Home Insurance Coverages Offer Window Protection?

Window repairs may be covered by your dwelling, other structures or personal liability coverage depending on the circumstances. If you have any sheds or other standalone buildings on your property, their windows should be covered in the same way as your home’s windows since other structures insurance usually covers the same perils as dwelling insurance.^[6]

Meanwhile, personal liability insurance can pay to repair or replace someone else’s windows if you, another person who lives in your household or your pet is responsible for damaging them. For example, your personal liability coverage would take effect if your children are playing basketball in the driveway and one of them misses the hoop and ends up cracking the neighbor’s window. Unlike claims related to your own windows, personal liability claims typically don’t require a deductible.^[7]

How To File a Home Insurance Claim for a Broken Window

If you have a broken window and you believe the damage should be covered by your homeowners insurance policy, you can take these steps to file a home insurance claim:

1. If your windows were damaged in the course of a home break-in or some other crime, call 911 and ask the responding officers to complete a police report.
2. Contact your insurance carrier to let it know that you intend to file a claim and schedule an appointment with an insurance adjuster.
3. Take pictures and videos of your damaged windows, ask local contractors for repair estimates and collect other evidence to support your claim.
4. Cover your window with duct tape or a plastic tarp and make other emergency repairs as necessary to keep further damage from happening.
5. If you are still paying off your mortgage, call your lender to let them know that you are filing a claim.
6. Present evidence to support your claim during the insurance adjuster’s visit.
7. Keep track of receipts, invoices and any other documents that may be relevant to your claim.
8. Watch out for any issues related to your claim so you can address them promptly.
9. Use your insurance payout to complete repairs or, if you think your insurer owes you more money, reach out to a public adjuster or lawyer who can assess your claim and challenge your insurance company’s settlement if necessary.

How To Get Home Coverage for Your Windows

The best way to find insurance that covers home window replacements at an affordable price is to compare quotes from multiple homeowners insurance companies. Getting a quote requires providing information such as your home’s age, the condition of your roof, the number of people living in your household and more. This can make for a tedious process if you try to contact each carrier individually.

However, you can make the process easier by taking advantage of an online insurance platform like SmartFinancial. All you have to do is answer a few questions to let us know what your coverage needs are and we’ll get you in touch with agents who can help you find the best policy for your circumstances. To compare home insurance quotes for free today, click here.