Questions & answers · Home insurance
Someone else caused damage to my home. Do I file with my insurance or theirs?
Home insuranceOtherTexasChecked Nov 6, 2026
From K.Actuary, founded by Sangmin Kwon, ASA · sources checked 2026-11-06 · Source: TDI View original ↗
In short
- You can file with your own insurer or theirs.
- Your own insurer takes out your deductible.
- Take photos, keep receipts, and get their insurance details in writing.
What this means
TDI says you can file with your own insurance company or with the other person's. If you file with theirs, still tell your own company [1].
What to know, per TDI [1]: • If you use your own insurance, the company takes your deductible out of the payment. • In Texas, your own company has 15 business days to say it got your claim. • It then has 15 business days after it gets what it needs to say if it will pay. If it says no, it must say why in writing.
TDI also says to take photos and videos of all damage and keep receipts for all costs [1]. Whether your own policy pays depends on what caused the damage. Your policy says what is covered.
Your next step
File a claim as soon as you can [1]. Take photos of the damage and keep receipts [1]. If you file with the other person's insurer, still tell your own [1]. The sources give no deadline for the other person's insurer.
Check it yourself
Open TDI's "Steps to getting your home or car insurance claim paid" and read Steps 1 and 2. Your own policy says if the cause of the damage is covered.
Where this comes from (1)
[1] TDI · checked 2026-11-06
File a claim as soon as you can. This could be with your insurance company or someone else's insurance company. If it's someone else's insurance company, still let your insurance company know about the accident. … Take photos and videos of all damage. … Keep receipts for all expenses. … Deadline: Your company has 15 business days to say it got your claim. … Deadline: Your company has 15 business days after getting wh…
How we found this
We matched your question to 1 official source, quoted the exact lines, and re-checked each quote against its source on 2026-11-06.
What we don’t know yet
Your own plan or notice may say something different. If your letter cites another rule, send it and we will look again.
Every answer is checked against the official rule it quotes.
Information only — not legal advice. Your plan, insurer or agency decides.
This answer quotes the official sources listed above, with the date we checked them. Your own policy, notice and state rules control. We are not your lawyer or your insurer. We don’t file, argue or negotiate claims for you — you send any letter or form yourself.
Related answers
- My home policy deductible is a percentage. How much will I really pay, and does it apply to each claim?
- My Florida home policy has a separate hurricane deductible. How is it counted if two storms hit in one year?
- A pipe leaked in my house. Will my homeowners insurance pay for the water damage and the mold?
- After my fire, the city says my house must meet today's building code. Will my insurance pay for the upgrades?
Answer id CQ61. Spotted an error? Tell us.