First: give a damaged enclosure room.
If the framing looks distorted or loose, keep people clear and arrange a qualified professional evaluation. Stay on the ground and leave panels and bracing to the pros. In an immediate danger, call emergency services.
A company may need to distinguish simple mesh replacement from framing or structural work. A sound frame comes first, so ask for those scopes to be assessed and priced separately.
Record what happened—safely.
Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate recommends promptly reporting property damage to your insurer or agent, documenting damage and repairs with photos or video, and keeping receipts. Follow your insurer’s reporting and emergency-repair instructions.
- Photograph damage from a safe location; include wider views and details you can capture without climbing.
- Save prior photos, the relevant policy documents and any estimate.
- Keep receipts for necessary protective work and other claimed expenses.
- Ask your insurer what documentation it needs before permanent non-emergency repairs.
Take care of any urgent safety steps first.
Will insurance pay for a pool cage?
It depends on your policy. Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate says some insurers limit or exclude screened enclosures and may offer a screened-enclosure endorsement. Definitions and limits vary; some endorsements also include pool cages.
Ask your insurer or agent:
- Is the enclosure covered for this cause of loss?
- Are screen fabric and aluminum framing treated differently?
- Is there a screened-enclosure endorsement, separate limit or exclusion?
- Which deductible applies, and how is the loss valued?
- Are there preferred-vendor or documentation requirements?
Your insurer or agent can walk you through your specific coverage.
Repair today, and plan for next season.
Ask what was damaged, what will be replaced, what needs professional structural review and who is responsible for any permit. Get a written itemized scope and read any warranty exclusions.
Use the printable hurricane checklist for ground-level photos and quote questions, and the contractor checklist before signing. Confirm the business name and agree on a clear contract before any large payment.