A Car, or a Plane, Hit My House. Who Pays?

By Nelson Avila, Licensed Florida Public Adjuster (License G332385) · Florida Certified Contractor
Homeland Public Adjusters · Last reviewed: October 2026

Car crashed through the exterior wall of a Florida home

A car leaving the road and striking a house, a small plane making an emergency landing short of a runway, a delivery truck backing into a garage — these losses are jarring, structural, and often expensive, and property owners aren’t always sure where to turn first: their own homeowners policy, or the responsible party’s insurance.

Your own policy is usually the fastest path

Most homeowners and commercial property policies cover vehicle and aircraft impact as a named or covered peril, regardless of who was driving or flying. Filing with your own insurer is typically the fastest way to get repairs started, since your policy doesn’t require establishing fault the way a liability claim against a third party does. Your deductible applies, but your insurer can then pursue the responsible driver or operator’s insurance separately through subrogation.

When the third party's liability coverage matters more

If you don’t have adequate property coverage — or none at all — the driver’s auto liability policy, or an aircraft operator’s liability coverage, may be the only path to recovering the cost of repairs. This is also the better route when damage exceeds your own policy limits, since a driver or operator’s liability coverage can sometimes provide a larger pool to draw from. Filing against a third party’s liability coverage generally requires establishing that they were at fault, which is usually documented through a police or incident report.

For Florida and New Jersey property owners without adequate coverage

If you’re underinsured or uninsured and the damage was clearly caused by someone else’s vehicle or aircraft, you may still have options through that party’s liability coverage. Documenting the loss thoroughly from the start — the same way you would for any insured claim — puts you in the strongest position regardless of which coverage ultimately pays.

Vehicle-strike claims come up along busy corridors in Hialeah, Pembroke Pines and Newark; Homeland handles them under the homeowner's own policy and against the driver's carrier.

Frequently asked questions

This article is for general information only and is not legal or insurance advice. Every policy and every claim is different — always review your own policy language or speak with a licensed public adjuster about your specific situation.

Still Have Questions About Your Property Insurance Claim?

Every loss and every claim has its own circumstances. Call us 24/7 to talk through yours, or request a free claim review.