Does Home Insurance Cover Accidents or DIY Project Accidents?

August 23, 2021 by Roger

Many people often opt for a DIY project to save a few dollars. However, many people don’t realize that if they attempt a DIY for which they have little to no experience, the odds of things going sideways are high. In fact, accidents during DIY projects are more common than most people realize.

If you opt for a DIY, we strongly advise that you figure out if your insurance policy covers it. Many insurance policies don’t cover DIY projects, but some home insurance policies do. The only way to find out is to check with your insurer and the policy.

DIY Projects and Insurance

Let’s assume that you and perhaps your brother decide to undertake a side summer DIY project like remodel the bathroom. Since you enjoy a bit of DIY and it gives you the opportunity to bond, it certainly sounds like a great idea because you’ll also be saving a few hundred dollars in the process.

You also got the right permits before starting the project. Once you’ve gotten the permits, you installed a new shower and completed all the other changes you wanted to make to the bathroom, ensuring everything was up to code. However, a few months later, you notice a leak in the bathroom, which means that you need to do some work to fix it.

You have homeowners insurance, so the assumption is that the insurance company will cover the cost of repair. However, that may not always be the case. In other words, this is where things can get tricky.

When it comes to covering DIY projects and accidents caused by them, the homeowner’s insurance will cover repairs even if you and your brother did the work. The problem is that the vast majority of policies will only cover damage if it was sudden or if it was accidental.

How To Find Out If Your Homeowners Insurance Will Cover DIY Damage Repairs?

Well, it is simple. Most policies have a workmanship exclusion that will apply whether the work was done by yourself or by an experienced and licensed contractor.

If the insurer feels or suspects that the damage was caused by poor workmanship and so the leak wasn’t accidental, the repairs aren’t covered by the policy. However, if you did all the work yourself, there is no other option other than to pay for the repairs.

Now, if you instead opted to hire a contractor to handle the bathroom remodeling project, the contractor will be responsible for the damage. You can sue the contractor if they refuse to repair the damage.

Conclusion

Before attempting any type of DIY project, the best thing to do is to read your homeowner’s insurance policy. If DIY accidents are covered, you are probably better off hiring a seasoned and licensed contractor. That way, you have the peace of mind knowing that your damages are covered in the event something goes wrong. ‘