PEMCO Poll: Playing both sides of the fence: Despite claiming ownership, Northwest homeowners dodge responsibility for fixing damaged fences

SEATTLE, Nov. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Do you know who owns the fence separating your property from your neighbor's? While many Northwest residents believe they do, a new poll from PEMCO Insurance shows homeowners would rather dodge the responsibility of repairing any damage to that fence in the event of storms or accidents.

The latest PEMCO Insurance Northwest Poll reveals that half of Washington and Oregon homeowners (50 percent) think they own the longest fence dividing their land from their neighbor's, and about half (49 percent) also agree that they are legally responsible for maintaining that fence. On the other hand, fewer – about one-third (32 percent) – think maintaining that fence is a shared duty.

"Figuring out who owns and maintains the fence separating two properties can be tricky and differs case by case," said PEMCO spokesperson Derek Wing. "However, joint ownership may occur if the fence is built on the boundary line or if the current neighbors have come to a mutual agreement."

But should a falling tree from a neighbor's yard damage the fence separating the two properties, the poll finds very few respondents – just 18 percent – are prepared to accept responsibility for repairing the damage. Instead, significantly more (50 percent of homeowners) wrongly believe their neighbor's insurance policy is liable for the damage.

"It looks like we are fair-weather fence owners in the Northwest, and there's a significant opportunity to educate homeowners on their responsibilities. Like it or not, you bear the responsibilities for all repairs to your property – even if it's your neighbor's tree that falls and causes the damage. There are always exceptions, but that's the general rule," Wing added.

PEMCO's policies require homeowners maintain the health of the trees on their property. If the trees are knowingly neglected and they cause damage to neighboring properties, some of the burden for repairs could be shared between homeowners. 

Though toppling trees can cause significant damage, PEMCO claims data finds that other adverse events can give homeowners bigger headaches. For instance, data from 2015 shows that homeowners filed the most property claims for water damage – compared to other events like fire, theft and weather – representing a third (34 percent) of the dollar value of PEMCO-insured property losses in 2015. Overall, PEMCO spent three times more on water damage claims than claims related to weather events last year.

For a complete summary of PEMCO's poll results, visit www.pemco.com/poll, where you'll find the responses collected by FBK Research of Seattle in June 2016.

About the PEMCO Insurance Northwest Poll
PEMCO Insurance commissioned this independent survey, conducted by FBK Research of Seattle, that asked Washington and Oregon residents questions about driving habits and attitudes toward current Northwest issues. The sample size, 600 respondents in Washington and 600 in Oregon, yields an accuracy of +/- 4.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. In other words, if this study were conducted 100 times, in 95 instances the data will not vary by more than the associated error range.

About PEMCO Insurance
PEMCO Insurance, established in 1949, is a Seattle-based provider of auto, home, boat, and umbrella insurance to Northwest residents. PEMCO Insurance is sold to consumers by the method they choose – phone, local community agents, or online. For more information, visit pemco.com.

CONTACTS:

Derek Wing
PEMCO Insurance
206.628.4622
[email protected]

Carley Fredrickson
Firmani + Associates Inc.
206.443.9357
[email protected]

SOURCE PEMCO Insurance

Related Links

http://www.pemco.com