Does Insurance Cover Water Damage?
2020.10.24
Does Insurance Cover Water Damage?
Man placing a hand over a house replica as the water falls over it
Most times, when there is water damage in your home, it will be covered by your standard homeowner’s insurance policy. However, it’s not always the case because it generally depends on what caused the water damage in the first place. Water damage that occurs suddenly and through no one’s fault will be covered. On the other hand, water damage caused by neglect or lack of maintenance isn’t going to be covered, along with damage caused by floods.
For most people, determining whether water damage is covered by their insurance can be extremely confusing. If you count yourself as one of those people, fear not, as we have covered all the bases and will provide you with the right answers that you need. We will share what is covered by your insurance for water damage and what isn’t.
When Does Your Insurance Cover Water Damage?
Your standard home insurance policies will only cover water damage if it is deemed to be sudden and caused by no one’s fault. Most times, determining who was at fault for water damage can be hard, which is why so many people are left confused. However, we will outline what will be covered by insurance in the event of water damage. Here is when your insurance will cover water damage:
• Through rain or a snowstorm
• Plumbing problems such as frozen plumbing, burst pipes, accidental overflow, faulty plumbing
• Water damage caused by extinguishing a fire
• A leaking roof
• Vandalism
• An accidental overflow of a fixture or an appliance
• Mold caused by water damage
You must consider all the instances where water damage was caused suddenly, and you were not the party at fault. That will make it easier for the insurance adjuster to determine whether you qualify for insurance for water damage or not.
When Does Your Insurance Not Cover Water Damage?
Your home insurance will not cover water damage if it is not caused by an accident or an unexpected, sudden occurrence. When a lack of maintenance and neglect cause water damage, you will have to pay for the water damage repair out of pocket. Some situations where you are going to be paying for water damage out of your pocket are:
• Poorly maintained pipes resulting in leaks
• Flooding
• Water or sewer pipe backups
• Ground seepage
It’s important to remember that your home insurance policy isn’t going to cover water damage caused by a flood. You will need to buy a separate policy for that, known as the flood insurance policy, especially if you live in an area prone to flooding.
Mold from Water Damage
Mold is extremely common in homes that have suffered water damage, and your homeowner’s insurance may not always cover it. It can be extremely expensive to remove mold from your home, going into the thousands of dollars in cost, but your home insurance can help cover the cost of mold removal, depending on what caused the mold.
Your home insurance will cover mold when it’s caused by water damage related to a common problem. That will include situations like a burst pipe or an air-conditioning system overflow that resulted in mold growth. You should check with your insurance company about the situations where your insurance policy covers mold removal.
If mold is caused by neglect or lack of maintenance, your insurance policy will not cover it, and you will foot the entire bill on your own. So, make sure that you are vigilant about checking for mold growth in and around your house. That means frequently checking for pipes leaking and ensuring that water isn’t seeping into your walls from a leaking fixture.
You can easily prevent mold growth by keeping your home dry and addressing all leaks and spills as soon as you find them. You need to constantly keep an eye on repairs and maintenance around your home so that there is no chance of mold growing in your home.
How to File an Insurance Claim After Water Damage?
Now that you’ve got a greater idea of when water damage is covered by your insurance policy, you shouldn’t hesitate to get in touch with your insurance company when you notice water damage in and around your home. It’s important that you stay vigilant during the process and take as many pictures of the affected area as possible to give the insurance insight into what the area looked like, and that the water damage wasn’t caused by neglect or lack of maintenance.
If there is mold growth, your pictures will show the adjuster caused by the water damage and wasn’t there initially. Your insurer will ask you questions about your insurance claim and then send an adjuster to assess the damage.
Conclusion
There are times when your insurance company isn’t going to cover the cost of water damage in your home. However, by now, you should have a good idea about when that will happen. We have covered all the relevant areas of when your insurance will and will not cover water damage, so make sure that you don’t delay getting in touch with your insurance company when you find water damage in your home.
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