Water damage is an incredibly common problem in many households, making it one of the top causes of homeowners insurance claims.
Water damage can be difficult to remedy, and it can cause a lot of harm to your homeís structure, as well as your personal belongings.
As such, you may want to know if your homeowners insurance policy will cover the cost of repairs and damages brought about by water damage, as well as how to file a water damage insurance claim.
This article will discuss these questions, as well as the situations in which homeowners insurance does and doesnt cover water damage (your coverage will depend on certain factors, as well as the cause of the damage).
Water damage can be difficult to remedy, and it can cause a lot of harm to your homeís structure, as well as your personal belongings.
As such, you may want to know if your homeowners insurance policy will cover the cost of repairs and damages brought about by water damage, as well as how to file a water damage insurance claim.
This article will discuss these questions, as well as the situations in which homeowners insurance does and doesnt cover water damage (your coverage will depend on certain factors, as well as the cause of the damage).
When does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
You may be glad to know that your homeowners insurance policy usually will cover water damage, though it will often depend on the cause of the water damage.
In order to have damages and repairs covered by your insurance policy, the water damage will typically have to have been caused by either a ìsudden and accidentalî event, or by a covered peril.
If you have a HO-3 policy, it will cover 16 perils, which includes events that may lead to water damage such as:
ï Fire or lightning (e.g., extinguishing a fire)
ï Windstorm or hail
ï Discharge or overflow of water from plumbing or appliances (though only if this occurs suddenly and accidentally)
ï Vandalism
ï Rain or snowstorm
If water damage was caused by one of these covered perils, then you will most likely be covered for repairs and damages by your insurance provider.
In order to have damages and repairs covered by your insurance policy, the water damage will typically have to have been caused by either a ìsudden and accidentalî event, or by a covered peril.
If you have a HO-3 policy, it will cover 16 perils, which includes events that may lead to water damage such as:
ï Fire or lightning (e.g., extinguishing a fire)
ï Windstorm or hail
ï Discharge or overflow of water from plumbing or appliances (though only if this occurs suddenly and accidentally)
ï Vandalism
ï Rain or snowstorm
If water damage was caused by one of these covered perils, then you will most likely be covered for repairs and damages by your insurance provider.
When does homeowners insurance not cover water damage?
There are, however, cases where your homeowners insurance policy may not cover water damage.
These circumstances mainly include water damage that was not caused by a covered peril, nor by a sudden and accidental event.
Often, this means that water damage occurring gradually due to a lack of maintenance or negligence will not be covered, such as failing to repair leaky pipes or water seepage through cracks in your foundation.
There are other things that are not typically covered by your homeowners insurance, such as:
ï Water backup
ï Repair of the actual source of damage (for instance, if your washing machine broke and caused water damage, your insurance will not cover the cost of the washing machine)
ï Intentional acts (e.g. intentionally turning off the heat during the winter, causing pipes to burst)
Additionally, flood damage is not normally covered in a homeowners insurance policy ñ if you want to be covered in the event of a storm causing flood damage to your home, you will need to purchase a separate flood insurance policy.
These circumstances mainly include water damage that was not caused by a covered peril, nor by a sudden and accidental event.
Often, this means that water damage occurring gradually due to a lack of maintenance or negligence will not be covered, such as failing to repair leaky pipes or water seepage through cracks in your foundation.
There are other things that are not typically covered by your homeowners insurance, such as:
ï Water backup
ï Repair of the actual source of damage (for instance, if your washing machine broke and caused water damage, your insurance will not cover the cost of the washing machine)
ï Intentional acts (e.g. intentionally turning off the heat during the winter, causing pipes to burst)
Additionally, flood damage is not normally covered in a homeowners insurance policy ñ if you want to be covered in the event of a storm causing flood damage to your home, you will need to purchase a separate flood insurance policy.
How to file a water damage claim
Once you have found water damage in your home, you will need to take several steps in order to file a successful water damage claim:
1. Document all of the damage ñ take extensive photos of the affected areas, as well as a detailed inventory of all damages incurred. Photos of the affected areas before the damage occurred may help to back up your claim, too.
2. Prevent further damage ñ try to stop the water flow, and make temporary repairs (such as covering a broken window with plastic). You may also want to remove any excess water with either a mop or a water vac.
3. Contact your insurance provider ñ file a claim to your provider as soon as possible.
1. Document all of the damage ñ take extensive photos of the affected areas, as well as a detailed inventory of all damages incurred. Photos of the affected areas before the damage occurred may help to back up your claim, too.
2. Prevent further damage ñ try to stop the water flow, and make temporary repairs (such as covering a broken window with plastic). You may also want to remove any excess water with either a mop or a water vac.
3. Contact your insurance provider ñ file a claim to your provider as soon as possible.