As we go through life, sometimes, the unthinkable can happen. The unthinkable can come in many forms, from a collapsed ceiling to a hole in your drywall. So, if you get a large hole in your drywall, will your homeowners insurance cover the repair?
If the hole in your drywall was created due to a covered peril, then your homeowners insurance will cover the repair. If the hole in the drywall is due to negligence, neglect, or normal wear and tear, then the hole would not be covered. Drywall despair is covered under dwelling structure coverage type A.
When looking to repair drywall, you may want to assess the damage on your own before making the repair. Keep reading to learn more about why this is important and also about different covered perils that would allow for your drywall to be replaced or repaired through insurance.
When drywall repair or replacement is covered by home insurance
There are quite a few scenarios in which your home insurance will cover your drywall repair or replacement. Some of them may seem obvious, but there are others that are not so apparent. Below is a list with some examples to help you get an idea of what may or may not be covered.
- Wall opening repair. If you have to open your walls to repair a leak or another covered peril behind the drywall, your homeowner’s insurance will likely cover the cost of repairing the wall opening.
- Collapsed walls. If your walls collapse and your drywall is ruined due to a covered peril, your insurance company will cover the cost of the damage, less the deductible. This type of damage is covered under coverage type A as it is considered structural.
- Molded drywall. Mold can be tricky. In many cases, mold will not be covered by your homeowners insurance. But if the mold is caused by a covered peril like a burst pipe, the homeowner’s insurance will pick up the cost to repair it.
Drywall is considered a structural element within your home. Structural elements such as the walls, roof, and floors are all part of your dwelling coverage type A. This means that when a covered peril strikes, your drywall will be covered. If you have standard HO-3 homeowners insurance, your drywall will be covered against all risks on an open-peril basis – only the exclusions listed in your policy will not be covered.
When is drywall not covered by homeowners insurance?
While there are many reasons why drywall will be covered, there are also reasons why your insurance company may deny a claim. Some of them include:
- Normal wear and tear. If your drywall is just getting older and has been drilled, poked, and prodded so many times that it is causing holes to appear, this is considered normal wear and tear. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to perform maintenance on this type of wall damage.
- Negligence. If pests get into your home, and they nest and eat at your walls, it can cause a big mess. If you ignore the mess and allow the damage to get really bad without trying to intervene, this could be considered gross negligence. Homeowner’s insurance does not cover damage due to negligence.
- If the peril is excluded. If a peril that is specifically excluded in your homeowners insurance policy causes damage to your drywall, it will not be covered by insurance. Examples include earth movement, flooding, and acts of war.
Your drywall is covered
If your property suffers damage from a covered peril, your insurance company has you covered. They will assess the damage and approve the claim so that you can fix the drywall sooner rather than later.
