In many cases, water damage that occurs within the home is covered by homeowners insurance. An example of this would be a burst pipe, insurance may cover your overall losses. However, it should be noted that if your home is damaged due to flooding from a local river, you are going to be on your own. That is unless you have coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program.
Water damage restoration claims can be rather difficult and confusing for the homeowner unless you deal with a company like Chicago Restoration Pro. An example of this would be if part of your roof is torn off due to high winds and the interior is damaged due to heavy rains, you are going to be covered. However, if during that same storm, your home was damaged due to a storm surge, you once again are going to be on your own. You will also make sure your foundation repairs are in check.
Below are just a few of the water damage claims that can be covered by insurance:
- Overflowing Sink
- Burst Pipes
- Leaking Roof Water Damages
- Overflows From Major Appliances
However, many insurance policies are filled with loopholes. Once again. let’s take a look at a couple of real life examples for a better understanding. If your pipes were to freeze overnight while you are sleeping and they burst, insurance is going to cover any water damages. However, if you were to leave your home while on vacation and did not leave heat on and the pipes were to burst in this manner, the insurance company will typically deny this claim under the premise you did not take proper precautions in safeguarding your home.
Also consider the fact that your dishwasher overflows during a normal run and causes extensive damages to your kitchen. While your insurance coverage will typically pay for water damages to the building, they typically will not pay for repairs or replacement of the dishwasher.
Leaking roofs are also another typical form of water damage that is usually covered by the homeowners insurance. Whereas any roof repairs will not be covered as they are considered to be a maintenance issue and the roof will not be covered. Once again there is an exception to this rule as if the leak is due to damage from natural elements such as high winds, falling trees or hailstones.
The following types of water damage claims will not be covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy:
- Sewer Backups
- Flooding From Lakes Or Rivers
- Water Seepage
If you want to be covered by natural flooding such as that from a lake or river, it is essential to purchase a national flood insurance policy from the federal government. Many people tend to think that these types of policies are for those people who live in a designated flood plain, one must know that flooding does happen in areas outside of recognized flood zones.
A sewer backup will usually not be covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. In many cases, this form of water damage is generally excluded from the policy. However, this does not mean you will be unable to insure your home through this type of loss. Talk with your local insurance agent about purchasing a special endorsement that can add coverage for drain and sewer backups.
Water seepage which is a very common cause due to flooded basements is usually not included in typical insurance policies. Insurance companies consider seepage preventable through regular maintenance and is not accidental loss. If you are concerned with water entering into your basement, it is essential to take the proper steps to maintain your home and prevent this form of damage. Some ways of prevention include installation of a sump pump, the use of waterproof sealant or even re-grading the lot.
As you can see, water damage claims are rather complex. However, with proper research one can fully understand what is covered by their homeowners insurance policy.