Overview
Living in a place with harsh weather conditions or even in a home that is super old with outdated materials in its foundation can result in a lot of damage to your property, especially water damage. Water damage is part of the claims for a home insurance payout, primarily due to fire damage, floods, thunderstorms, etc. If you face water damage due to any problem, we have multiple acceptable reasons to get covered and not covered by homeowners insurance. Citylocal101 provides the List of Best Water Damage Contractors, So that someone may easily find The Best Water Damage Contractorto resolve the problem as a priority without waste of time to avoid more loss.
Make sure to read through to the end because we give you multiple and the best ways that you can protect your home on your own!
Types of Water Damage Covered by Homeowners Insurance
Insurance can be hard to figure out—especially with the fine details and loopholes involved. We are here to provide you with a list of the types of water damage covered by a home insurance policy. Read to find out if you qualify.
Burst pipe
Burst pipes are the number one common reason for home insurance payouts, and that is why any good home insurance policy covers burst pipes caused to “sudden and accidental” conditions.
Accidental leaks
Just like burst pipes, leaks must be unexpected and accidental. Unfortunately, insurance does not cover natural water damage resulting in leaks that occur slowly over time because that will be a result of your negligence.
Water damage after a fire
Damage caused by the water used to extinguish flames, such as a hose, is covered by homeowners insurance if the source comes from your space, but if it takes place outside your home, it may not be.
Water damage from a roof leak
Water damage caused by a roof leak resulting from a storm or something else damaging your roof is covered by insurance, but only if you fix the damage in a specific time frame. Otherwise, further damage caused by lack of care will not be covered.
Water damage from storms
Water damage caused by natural disasters is among the top for claiming insurance payouts. Heavy rainfall or tumultuous weather is covered by home insurance, but once again, you must seek help before further destruction occurs on your property.
Ice dams
Ice buildup in your gutter and your roof can be covered as long as you didn’t neglect the damage and a sudden and unexpected occurrence caused it.
Types of Water Damage Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance
Flood damage
A home insurance policy does not cover flood damage despite being common in the US. If you do want coverage for floods, there exists separate flood insurance that you can claim.
Water damage due to lack of maintenance or negligence
A home insurance policy does not cover damage caused by your failure to act upon it in the given interval because insurance is only provided for abrupt instances.
Water damage from intentional acts
Once again, damage caused with purpose or intent is not covered by a home insurance policy, and trying to claim payouts on these might lead to an investigation.
Water damage from “earth movement.”
Like flood damage, “earth movements” like earthquakes or mudslides aren’t covered and require you to buy a separate earthquake insurance policy.
Water damage that backs up
Water damage caused by backing up and sewer drains are not covered unless you buy special coverage.
Water damage from leaks
Leaks caused by swimming pools or other structures like fountains are not covered as often. These are seen as a result of your lack of maintenance.
Water damage from seepage or leaks through a foundation
Since water seepage or leaks are losses that can be prevented by good practice in building and maintaining a sturdy foundation and preventing wear in tear, coverage is not provided.
The cost to repair or replace the source of the water damage
Fixing your pool or broken washing machine is not up for home insurance policies to cover. It would help if you replaced these on your own.
Water damage from a sump pump failure
There are sump and water backup coverages that exist on their own. Otherwise, they usually aren’t covered by homeowners insurance policies because covering these would give rise to repeated claims when they don’t exist in the first place.
How Can You Protect Your Home From Water Damage?
Drain water heaters
Drain your water heater so you can prevent sediment buildup. This should be done twice a year by shutting off the water supply to your water heater, turning off the power and giving time for the water to cool off. Then open the drain valve after you’ve attached a hose and turned on a hot water tap.
Install smart water leak detectors
Smart technology is at the forefront of homeowner protection. Install a smart water leak detector so that you may receive information on any damage occurring through an SMS on your phone or an email. An example is Flo by Moen water leak detector—they help to prevent damage before it occurs.
Inspect hoses
Always inspect the hoses that connect your washing machine, dishwasher, heaters, and refrigerators. Repair or replace any damaged hoses if necessary because big problems can be protected by curing small issues.
Inspect your roof
Always inspect your roof after a storm or any bad weather condition so you can make necessary repairs on time or replace missing and damaged parts. Also, make sure to routinely clean out your roof gutters because clogged gutters can overflow and allow for leaks.
Prevent frozen pipes
Setting your heat to at least 50°C can prevent frozen pipes. Additionally, you should wrap your pipes with insulation if you live in an area with harsh weather conditions.
Remove snow from your roof
Most people remove the snow from the driveway but always make sure to remove it from your roof so you can prevent ice dams from building up. Frozen snow can cause damage to your gutters and can lead to seepage problems.
Remove leaves from your gutters each fall
Natural forces can clog drains—if you live in an area with lots of trees, make sure also to clean the leaves from your gutters to prevent clogging.
Wrap-Up/Conclusion
The key thing to note about insurance is faults: Is your negligence bringing about the damage? This includes ignoring the problem, misusing property, and/or not taking the proper precautions during high-risk times. If so, then insurance cannot be claimed. However, if the damage is sudden and way out of your control--homeowner’s insurance is right up your alley for a potential payout! However, you should always take diligence on contracts to make sure if they cover specific clauses or not. Some issues have specially made insurance claims for them. Your home is your responsibility, be attentive to its concerns.
