Will My Insurance Cover Previous Damage?

First, the quick answer is no—but it can happen sometimes anyway. Now, we can explore some examples to better understand how your insurance coverage applies.

Auto insurance
Imagine you already have a dent in your car’s rear panel. One day, when you are setting up the ladder to clean the gutters, the ladder falls denting the hood. If you have comprehensive coverage for your car, your auto insurance policy can pay to repair the hood of your car. 

However, your policy will not pay for the damage to the rear panel because it was pre-existing damage and was not caused by the ladder falling. In some cases, adjusters can determine if damage was pre-existing immediately. In other cases, preexisting damage can be determined after closer inspection.

However, if you have preexisting damage to the rear panel of your car and then that part of the vehicle is damaged in a separate accident, your auto insurance policy may pay to repair the damage because the new damage occurred on top of the old damage. There is no way to separate the claim. It may not even be possible to see the old damage if the new damage is extensive.

Home insurance
Home insurance can work similarly. If a damaged area is damaged again in a new claim, the new claim may include repair for the old damage. However, this situation may be less likely with a home insurance policy. Drivers with dented cars are not uncommon, especially if the car is older. But people often repair damage to their home.

However, the way coverage applies can change if you have roof damage. Many home insurance policies treat a roof as a wear item. Roofs do not last forever, so coverage is applied on a scale. A 30-year-old roof with chipped and curled shingles may not be insured for the same amount as a pristine roof installed last month.

In this example, the insurer is not paying for pre-existing damage to the roof, which is wear and tear in this case. Home insurance does not cover wear.

When to report a claim
If you have damage to your home or car and think you may want to place a claim, place the claim as soon as possible. Waiting months or years may result in your claim being denied and, in most cases, the old damage will not be covered as part of a new claim.