Wind-Damaged Fence Insurance Claim — Sections Down, Posts Snapped
Four sections of privacy fence are flat in the yard, the posts broke off at the concrete, and the gate is hanging from one hinge. Here is how it is written on the claim and how it goes back up.
A wind damaged fence claim is usually paid under the other structures part of a homeowner policy. JMB Builders rebuilds the fence across the Twin Cities metro: snapped posts dug out and new ones set in concrete below frost, broken rails and pickets replaced, sound sections rehung, and the whole thing matched to what is standing. We write it by the section and the post the way the adjuster does. You file the claim. Priced per linear foot.
- Priced per linear foot of fence rebuilt
- Written per section and per post for the scope
- New posts set in concrete below frost
- Send photos, reply within one business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
A solid privacy fence is a sail. In a straight-line wind the panels take the full load and the posts break where they are weakest, which is right at the top of the concrete, where the wood has been wet and dry a thousand times. The panels fall still nailed to the broken post stubs. Some sections survive leaning; some posts heave out of the ground whole. A chain link fence bends its top rail and leans. A wood fence that was already soft at the posts goes first, and the adjuster will look at the breaks for that.
On a homeowner policy a fence is an other structure, not part of the dwelling, and other structures coverage has its own limit, usually a percentage of the dwelling amount. Wind is normally a covered peril there. The adjuster writes the fence by the linear foot or by the section, with posts counted separately, and a gate as its own line. Rot and wear are excluded, so a post that broke because it was rotted through may be argued. We photograph every break so the file shows which posts snapped sound and which were soft.
The rebuild is straightforward carpentry. Broken post stubs and their concrete come out, or the new post goes beside the old footing when the old one will not pull. New posts set in concrete below the frost line, plumb, on the old line. Panels that survived go back on the new posts. Broken rails and pickets are replaced with matching stock. The gate is rehung square with a proper latch. Stain is its own line, or leave it to weather.
What you supply
- Photos of every downed section and every broken post, close enough to see the break, plus one of the fence line from each end
- The fence style, height and material: dog-ear privacy, shadowbox, board-on-board, chain link, vinyl
- The adjuster's scope, your claim number, and your other structures limit if you know it
- Whether the fence is yours, shared with a neighbor, or on the lot line, since that affects whose claim it is
- Stain or paint color if you want the new sections finished to match
What JMB supplies
- A per-section, per-post count with photos of each break, written in the adjuster's format with LF of fence and a gate line
- Removal of broken posts and their footings, or new posts set beside footings that will not pull
- New posts in concrete below the frost line, on the original line, plumb and spaced to the existing panels
- Surviving panels rehung on the new posts; broken rails, pickets and caps replaced in matching lumber and profile
- Gate rebuilt or rehung square, with hinges and latch that line up, and an anti-sag brace where it needs one
- Chain link top rail and fabric replaced and restretched on the damaged run
- Staining or painting of the new sections to match, quoted as its own line
- Before-and-after photos of the fence line in your job folder
How it is priced: per linear foot
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- How many sections are down and how many posts broke, counted on site
- Posts that pull with their concrete vs. footings that have to be dug out or set beside
- Panels that survived and go back up vs. sections rebuilt from new lumber
- Fence height and style; board-on-board takes more lumber than dog-ear
- A gate, and whether the gate posts are among the broken ones
- Access for digging: a clear yard vs. landscaping, a slope or a tight side yard
- Staining or painting of the new sections, as its own line
Send a photo from each end of the fence line and close shots of the broken posts. We reply within one business day with what to photograph before the sections are moved and what to ask your agent about the other structures limit.
How long it takes
Four to six sections with new posts: one day to set the posts and a second day after the concrete cures to hang panels and the gate. A long run with many broken posts: three to four days.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Posts snapped, panels sound
The most common wind break. Posts broke at grade and the panels came down whole. New posts are set in concrete on the old line and the original panels go back on them, with broken rails replaced. The fence looks like it did before.
Sections broken up
Panels split, pickets scattered, rails snapped. The damaged sections are rebuilt from new lumber matched to the standing fence in height, style and picket spacing, on new posts, with the old sections on either side tied in.
Gate blown off
The gate took the wind and tore its hinges out or racked. We rebuild or rehang it square on a sound post, with heavier hinges, a latch that lines up and an anti-sag brace. Written as its own line on the scope.
Chain link run leaning
The top rail bent and the fabric is stretched. The bent rail and any pulled posts are replaced, the fabric is restretched and tied, or a damaged run of fabric is replaced. Counted in LF.
Wind-Damaged Fence Insurance Claim — Sections Down, Posts Snapped: questions, answered
Does homeowners insurance cover a fence blown down by wind?
Usually, under the other structures part of the policy, which covers things on the property that are not attached to the house, with its own limit and your deductible. Wind is normally a covered peril; rot, wear and poor maintenance are usually excluded, so the condition of the posts at the break matters. What your policy pays is between you and your insurer. Ask your agent for the other structures limit before the scope is written.
How is fence damage written on an insurance claim?
By the linear foot or the section, with posts counted separately and a gate as its own line, usually with the height and style noted. Our count lists each section and each broken post with a photo of the break, so you can set it next to the adjuster's. If the scope is short a few posts or leaves off the gate, that is what a supplement is for.
The posts broke off at the concrete. Were they rotted or was it the wind?
Both can be true, and the adjuster may look. A post that snapped through sound wood shows a clean, splintered break; one that was rotted shows soft, dark wood at the break. We photograph every break close up before anything is moved and put the photos in the file as they are. Either way the post is replaced, set in concrete below frost so it is not sitting in water at grade.
Can the fence panels that fell be put back up?
Most of them. A privacy panel that came down whole on broken posts is usually sound, and it goes back on the new posts with new fasteners. Panels that split, lost pickets or cracked a rail are rebuilt from matched lumber. We tell you section by section which is which, and the scope says so.
My neighbor and I share the fence. Whose insurance claim is it?
It depends on whose property the fence is on and any agreement between you. A fence on your side of the line is your other structure; a fence on the line may be shared. We rebuild the fence either way, but which policy it goes on and whether both of you file is a question for your agent, and worth sorting out before the scope is written.
Will the new fence sections match the old ones?
New cedar or treated lumber is lighter than wood that has weathered for years, so new sections show until they gray, usually a season or two. Staining the new sections to the old color closes the gap sooner and is quoted as its own line. The style, height and picket spacing are matched exactly, so once the color evens out the repair disappears.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
Related jobs we do
Straight-Line Wind Damage Repair — Racked Walls and Lifted Sheathing
The storm came through flat and hard. The garage wall is leaning, the roof edge on the windward side is lifted, the rake trim is in the field, and two doors will not latch. That is a framing job first.
Read moreDeck Railing Repair — Loose Posts, Rails and Balusters
Lean on the deck rail and it moves. A post is loose, a top rail is soft, or half the balusters are split. We anchor it so it holds a person, and replace only what needs replacing.
Read moreStorm Damage Repair Under Your Deductible — Paid Direct, No Claim
Two cracked panes, a torn screen, a bent piece of fascia and a few chipped siding panels. Enough to fix, not enough to file. We quote it so you can see where it lands against your deductible and decide.
Read moreWhat to Do After Storm Damage to Your House — Homeowner Checklist
The hail has stopped, the wind is down, and there are strangers with clipboards on the block already. Here is what to do in the next hour, the next day and the next week.
Read moreWind-Torn Soffit and Fascia Claim — Aluminum Replaced to Match
A run of soffit is in the neighbor's yard, the fascia on the gable end is folded back like a lid, and the wood behind it is bare. We rebuild the eave to match and give you the linear-foot numbers the claim is written in.
Read moreActual Cash Value vs Replacement Cost — Why the First Check Is Less
The adjuster's estimate says one number, the check that came says a smaller one, and the letter mentions depreciation. Nothing is wrong. Here is what the numbers are and what has to happen for the rest to arrive.
Read morePage reviewed October 1, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
Where we work
Insurance repairs near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: