If your home has experienced water damage, do not hesitate to contact an insurance claim expert. Get in touch with me today so we can discuss your needs.
Water is one of the most common reasons homeowners file insurance claims. If you expect your insurance to cover your losses, however, you should familiarize yourself with the different types of homeowner’s insurance coverage for water damage.
Why, you ask?
Because depending on your policy you have, you might not have the right coverage. It’s a frustrating fact that many homeowners find out too late.
3 Types of Coverage for Water Damage
Overflow or Discharge Coverage
Most home insurance policies cover sudden, accidental discharges of water, such as overflowing plumbing and damaged appliances. For example, if a pipe bursts in your home, the sudden deluge of water can quickly flood the room and leak through ceilings and into walls. Most home insurance policies, including HO-3s, include this type of damage.
Be aware, however, that the discharge of water from the pipes or appliance must be sudden and accidental. If it happens because of a maintenance issue or failure to maintain, you might be denied. For this reason, it is critical to have a professional inspect your plumbing periodically.
Sewer Backup Coverage
Perhaps the worst type of water damage you can experience in your home is a sewer backup. It occurs when the water (and sometimes waste) is pushed back into your home from your home’s drainage system. Coverage for sewer backups is essential because not only will your home sustain serious damage, you could also suffer health consequences.
Sewer backups can cause thousands of dollars of damage in a short period of time, so if you do not have this type of coverage, you should consider adding it to your policy.
Flood Coverage
The last kind of water damage I want to discuss here is flooding. Flood damage is what happens when a body of water, such as a lake or a river, becomes inundated with excess precipitation to the point that it enters your home.
In most cases, homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding, but if you have flood insurance, you should be covered. Depending on whether the water source was from wind driven rain/hurricanes or rising water entering the house, your claim could be considered hurricane/wind damage or flooding.
If you have any concerns about flooding in your area, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy.
Understand Your Water Damage Coverage
Has your home fallen victim to excess water from flooding or plumbing issues? Do you want to file a claim but don’t know what steps you need to take to get the money you need? If you want to make sure that you get the compensation you deserve from your policy, get in touch with me today.
I work for you, not the insurance company, so you know that I will have your best interests in mind throughout the claims process.