When disaster strikes, it can affect your entire home or just one room in your home. Often it is unforeseen and unpredictable, as well as extremely frustrating. Before experiencing such frustration firsthand, it is important to have proper insurance in place. Shopping around can cause you to ask questions like, does homeowners insurance cover kitchen cabinets?
If your kitchen cabinets are damaged or ruined by a covered peril listed on your insurance policy, then they will be considered as part of the claim and therefore replaced or repaired through insurance. Kitchen cabinets are considered to be part of your home, so dwelling coverage A will kick in to cover them. If the damage is not due to a covered peril, then the homeowner will be liable for the expenses to repair or replace the kitchen cabinets.
While this can be a relief to read, it is important to dive deeper. Keep reading to learn about the covered causes and how they could affect the repair or replacement of your damaged cabinets.
- Kitchen cabinet damage caused by a covered peril will be covered under dwelling coverage A of your homeowners policy.
- Normal wear and tear are not covered under insurance claims.
- Check with your insurance provider to ensure you have enough coverage to replace your cabinets in the case of a covered peril.
Covered causes of kitchen cabinet damage
The first thing you should know as a homeowner is which types of scenarios your insurance policy will consider covered when it comes to damaged kitchen cabinets. This can help relieve stress and financial burden in the long run. It will also help you determine if you should submit a claim. Below are some commonly covered causes.
Fire damage
If a fire occurs and destroys your kitchen and the cabinets within the kitchen, this is considered to be a covered peril. Fires can cause a lot of loss and will often require large amounts of funds to replace and repair the items damaged by these perils.
Water damage
If a pipe bursts within or above your kitchen and destroys the cabinets due to the intense water damage, your insurance provider will cover the cost of repairing or replacing the cabinets. This is because water damage (not flooding) is a covered peril. It will also cover damage to the surrounding area, floors, and walls too.
Falling object damage
If a tree falls due to a bad storm and lands in your kitchen, you could be left with a lot of damage to your cabinets and appliances. Luckily, this is considered to be a covered peril under homeowner’s insurance. The cabinets will be part of the assessment during the claim process.
Aircraft or motor vehicle damage
If a vehicle, such as an aircraft or car, runs off course and crashes into your kitchen, you may experience a lot of damage to your home. Not only will there be larger structural damage, but your cabinets will likely be destroyed. When this is the case, these instances are considered covered perils. This means the insurance company will pay for the repair or replacement of your kitchen cabinets.
There are many other situations when your kitchen cabinets would be covered by homeowners policy. Since kitchen cabinets are considered to be part of your home and are covered by dwelling coverage, typical HO-3 and upgraded HO-5 policies provide open-peril protection for dwelling coverage. This means that both HO-3 and HO-5 will cover kitchen cabinet damage caused by any risk except for exclusions mentioned in the policy. If you have just an HO-2 policy the damage to the cabinets would be covered if it’s caused by one of 16 named perils.
If you live in a condo unit, your kitchen cabinets may be covered by your HOA master policy. Typically walls-in and all-in master policies will cover the standard fixtures that come with your condo unit. If they are not covered by your HOA, your HO-6 condo insurance policy should take care of them.
Causes that are not covered
With the good, there comes the bad. Not every instance of kitchen cabinet damage will be covered under an insurance policy. It is important to understand this when signing up for a homeowner’s policy, so you can better prepare for the unexpected. Below are some examples of reasons why your insurance provider may deny a claim to repair damaged kitchen cabinets. Learn more about homeowners insurance exclusions here.
Negligence
If you know that you have a pest problem, and you ignore it, this can cause significant damage to your home and your kitchen cabinets. Homeowners are expected to provide their homes with basic maintenance to prevent pests and to fix issues that come up naturally as the home ages. If your kitchen cabinets are destroyed by termites you acknowledge as there but choose to ignore, you may be found liable for the damage. This means no insurance coverage.
Normal wear and tear
Cabinets, just like any other part of the home, will fade, break, and age with time. This means that a homeowner will need to clean, repair, and replace some features of their cabinets regularly to ensure they stand up to the test of time. Regular maintenance is not covered by homeowners insurance, so these bills will be out of pocket.
Arson
If your kitchen cabinets catch fire due to arson and need to be repaired or replaced, your insurance will not cover it. Arson is never a covered cause for insurance and is illegal. The homeowner will have to bear the cost as well as any legal ramifications from this type of instance.
Be aware of your coverage
It is important to be aware of your insurance coverage and ask your insurance provider questions as they appear. This will prevent you from filing a claim that may be denied. It also can help you determine whether you are eligible to file a claim and possibly fix a problem you otherwise expected to deal with out of pocket.
