Water damage isn't always covered by your home insurance if it's not the result of an accident or a sudden, unexpected event. Negligence or lack of maintenance, which causes water damage, means that you have to personally pay for the cost of the repairs. Covered hazards, such as rain or snow entering through a damaged section of the roof during a storm Rain, snow, or ice, not including floods No. Standard home insurance policies generally don't cover any type of flood that originates outside your home.
This means that floods caused by heavy rains, coastal waves or tides, groundwater leaks, or spring thaw are not covered. While homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods caused by heavy rains, it does cover other water damage caused by rain, snow, or ice. Basically, if a risk covered by your policy causes a chain of events that cause water damage, homeowners insurance will likely help cover the loss. This means that if your roof collapses due to the weight of snow or if a windstorm knocks down your windows and causes rain to pour into your home, your home insurance policy must cover the damage.
However, coverage only applies if you have sufficient heating at the time of the loss. If your home is unoccupied for an extended period and your pipes freeze because you forgot to turn off the water supply, your home insurance company will likely deny the claim. For example, let's say your garage catches fire due to a covert hazard and firefighters extinguish it. But the water rushes into your laundry room and destroys the floor, the washer and the dryer.
Your home insurance policy should cover damage not only to your garage, but also to the floors and appliances in your laundry room. Standard home insurance policies don't normally cover water damage caused by clogged sewer lines or clogged pipes. This means that if the basement sump pump overflows, water damage will not be covered. If your home starts to smell musty, or if you notice dark or damp spots on the floors, ceiling, or walls, you may have a costly problem on your hands.
And when it comes to water damage, time isn't on your side, so act fast. When it comes to home insurance coverage, water damage is a complicated and confusing topic. What one insurer considers sudden and accidental damage caused by water, another may consider preventable and expected. If the roof is damaged by water, whether or not it is covered will depend on the source of the water damage.
For example, if a pipe breaks and water leaks into the roof, homeowners insurance will likely reimburse you for repairs. Most standard homeowner insurance policies don't cover water damage caused by floods caused by natural disasters. This means that flash floods, high tides, storm surges caused by hurricanes, and heavy rains that cause floods are generally not covered. However, if a flood is caused by a covert hazard, such as a broken pipe or an overflowing dishwasher, you're likely covered.
Coverage for water damage depends on the situation and the source. If the damage is sudden, accidental and comes from inside your home, you're usually protected with a standard home insurance policy. However, if water damage is due to external flooding or negligent repair, you won't have coverage. The phrase “consider the source” is particularly relevant when it comes to water damage.
If the source of the damage comes from inside your home, such as a water leak from a broken pipe or an appliance that overflows, your home insurance will likely cover you. Your home insurance policy generally also covers roof leaks, but you won't be protected against water damage from external sources, such as floods. Keep in mind that water damage caused by certain types of events, such as tsunamis, floods, sewer jams and pool leaks, is generally not covered. The second type of homeowners insurance that could cover water damage is personal property coverage, which covers possessions that were damaged by the covered hazard.
Frozen pipes can burst in winter, washing machine hoses can leak, and sprinkler systems can malfunction, all of which can cause major water damage in your home. Pipeline breakage is one of the most common incidents of covered water damage, since a pipe break can be a sudden and accidental event, even with proper maintenance. If you discover water damage, it's a good idea to take pictures of the area and contact your home insurance company as soon as possible. A sudden leak in the basement water heater is likely to be covered up to repair and extract the water.
However, if you left the window open and forgot to close it before a storm hit the area, causing rain to enter and damage your furniture, your insurance claim to repair or replace your furniture will likely be denied. Generally, home insurance companies only cover mold if it's the result of a covered hazard, such as sudden and accidental water damage. Water accumulations from external drains and sewer systems are generally not covered because the source of the damage began outside the covered facilities. This is probably the first thing you think of if you're wondering what type of water damage is covered by homeowners insurance.
They called their insurer, who told them to check for moisture or even mold in the place where the damage had occurred, and found new water damage. However, your home insurance won't pay for the repair or replacement of the source of water damage, as is the case with your dishwasher in the example above. If your home is not habitable due to water damage and you have to move until repairs are done, the loss of use section of your home insurance policy may cover the additional costs while you wait for the repairs to take place. .
