Water damage may be one of the most popular reasons for filing a homeowner’s insurance claim, but the coverage of the claim may not be cut and dry. Depending on the damage, and the reason for the damage, the claim coverage can be limited, covered completely, or not covered at all. Water damage insurance claims coverage depend on the reason for the claim.
Insurance Claims for Water Damage
For example, if low temperatures outside result in the water pipes freezing and bursting and the house has a couple inches of water on the floor, the insurance company will probably cover all of the damages. But if the homeowner left the house and turned off the heat, then the water damage insurance claim can be denied due to negligence on the part of the homeowner. The homeowner should not have left the house unoccupied with no heat in freezing weather, therefore did not take care to prevent an accident.
Insurance companies are expecting the homeowner to be prudent in protecting the home and assets in it. This means keeping up on important maintenance and repairs, and taking reasonable care to prevent damage to the home.
Another instance of a water damage claim would be if a sewer backs up and floods the basement, or if water seeps into the basement from the ground damaging the foundation and interior. Insurance companies will not cover either of these water damage insurance claims, because most policies will not cover sewage backups and seepage is considered a maintenance problem, not an accidental water damage insurance claim.
These incidents indicate why it is very important to review the homeowners insurance policy carefully to determine what types of claims may be covered or denied. There could be riders available to cover situations like the sewage backup, and sometimes, depending on where the house is located, those riders could be worth the extra cost.
The same is true for flood damage. If a river or creek overflows its banks and damages the home, unless the home owner’s policy has a flood insurance rider, the water damage insurance claim will be denied. If the house is anywhere near water, or is in an area with a high water table, the rider should always be considered.
On the other hand, if a tree on the property of a neighbor should fall on the roof of the home and damaged it, the roof damage, home damage, and any belongings damage is covered. Most policies will even have a dollar amount allowable to remove the tree.
But if it rains really hard and the roof leaks resulting in damage to the home, the water damage inside the house is covered, the repairs to the roof is not as that is considered maintenance on the house.
To further complicate the issue, sometimes it is best not to call the home insurance company to question whether or not water damage, or any other damage, is covered. The write-up on the question could look like a claim if another insurance company is checking because the homeowner is seeking to change insurance companies. The best thing to do is to consult with the insurance agent, and review all possibilities of water damage so that a clear understanding of what is or is not covered is established.
Should any type of water damage occur in the home, after checking the homeowner’s policy to see what is covered, the next step should be to get the water up as quickly as possible. Not drying out the floors, walls, and carpets can result in mold damage, which can be another serious problem for the homeowner.
Hello, i am John and have over ten years experience in water damage clean up, water damage restoration and water damage mold. During my career i noticed that a lot of homeowners are uninformed about water damage and it's consequences. This site provides you with how-to guides and lots of information on water damage and everything what's involved.