When dealing with hail damage and other types of property insurance claims, homeowners often find themselves in for a surprise when their claim comes back as denied or underpaid due to a policy exclusion. Whether you knew about the exclusion or not, this can be extremely frustrating.
Ambiguous policy language can make understanding the terms and conditions in your policy challenging, but it’s imperative to know what various exclusions mean as this fine print can significantly impact the outcome, repairs, and overall aesthetics of your home following an insured loss. Here’s what to know about matching exclusions, how they work, and what this type of exclusions means for your hail damage claim.
What is a Matching Exclusion in Your Homeowners Insurance Policy?
A matching exclusion is a type of clause that allows insurance companies to replace only the damaged portion of a property without matching the undamaged areas. This means if a portion of your home is damaged and needs repair or replacement, the insurance company may not cover the cost of ensuring the new materials match the undamaged areas.
For example, if just one side of your house sustains hail damage or only a portion of your roof needs to be replaced, the company is not required to replace the other sides to match, per Colorado law. This can be frustrating for policyholders because they’re left with either a home with mismatched materials or additional out-of-pocket expenses to achieve a uniform look.
How Matching Exclusions Work
Insurance policies with matching exclusions will explicitly state that the insurer is not required to match new materials with existing, undamaged ones. Some, but not all, policies might provide limited coverage for matching materials but will set a cap on the amount they will pay for such expenses.
If your policy has a matching exclusion, you will receive compensation only for the exact area that was damaged, which can lead to potential aesthetic mismatches.
Review your Insurance Policy Closely
Insurance policies will vary in their exclusions, so it’s critical to review your policy closely and ask questions about areas you don’t understand. Ambiguous policy language can lead to contention between insurers and their insured. For help understanding your policy and to ensure you receive the rightful claim payout amount you are legally entitled to for your hail damage, contact our team at Kandell, Kandell & Petrie Law Firm for insurance claim representation in the greater Denver area and throughout Colorado.
