Water damage in Draper, UT, can strike without warning, leaving your home with costly property damage. For this reason, many residents have homeowners’ insurance to pay for water damage restoration and repairs. Yet, many people wonder, “Does homeowners’ insurance cover water damage?”
Understanding homeowners’ insurance and water damage can be confusing, but Summit Restoration, LLC, is here to help. Here, the team explains what you should know about coverage for water damage in home insurance.
How Water Damage Insurance Claims Work
Home insurance policies typically operate under two types of coverage. The first is the dwelling coverage that pays for or reimburses homeowners for repairs to their homes’ structure, like the floor or roof. The second option is personal property coverage for repairs or replacements of personal items.
Your policy will outline the payout limits for each coverage type, not including the deductible you’re responsible for.
What Type Of Water Damage Is Covered By Homeowners Insurance?
So, does homeowners’ insurance cover water damage? It depends on the type of water damage your home has. Home insurance water damage coverage usually extends to sudden and accidental damage like the following:
- Accidental interior leak: A sudden leak inside your home usually has coverage. This could be due to a leaky appliance or pipe.
- Roof leak: If your roof sustains damage by no fault of your own and creates a leak inside your home, you should be able to file a homeowners’ insurance claim to cover the damage.
- Burst pipe: Metal pipes often burst from the expansion and contraction that occurs when they freeze and thaw in the winter. A burst pipe can create substantial water damage, which a homeowners’ insurance policy will likely cover.
- Water damage from firefighting efforts: Your policy may cover water damage from sprinklers or fire hoses that put out a blaze.
- Storm damage: Torrential rainfall and hail damage are usually part of homeowners’ insurance water damage coverage.
Your policy for water damage in home insurance will cover many unfortunate situations, but not all of them. For example, storm damage may have coverage within your policies, but most homeowners’ insurance policies exclude flood damage. That includes storm damage from hurricanes, overflowing streams, and storm surges; you’ll need separate flood insurance to cover those situations.
Homeowners’ insurance also excludes damage from a lack of maintenance or negligence. If your home’s water damage comes from a broken appliance, the insurance policy won’t cover its repair or replacement, only the water damage.
How To Submit Claims to Homeowners’ and Flood Insurance Companies
Depending on the extent of the water damage in your house, you might not choose to file an insurance claim. It may be best to handle minor damage out of pocket because some flood insurance companies won’t renew policies for insured people who file multiple claims within five to seven years. You might also get a smaller payout than expected after the agency takes out your deductible.
If you decide to file a claim, here’s how to do it:
- Stop the source of the damage: Immediately upon realizing you have a problem, do what you can to keep the water damage from worsening.
- Document the damage: Create a list of all affected belongings, rooms, and structures. It also helps to take pictures and videos to show the insurance adjuster the full scope of the damage.
- File an insurance claim immediately: Call your insurance company as quickly as possible or submit a claim online.
- Make temporary repairs: Though you shouldn’t do major repairs until after the adjuster approves your claim, you can make small adjustments to maintain your home’s safety and prevent further damage. For example, you can cover a damaged roof with a tarp instead of repairing the damage.
Water Damage Prevention Tips
Routine property maintenance is the best way to prevent water damage. That includes annual roof inspections, gutter cleaning, and keeping your thermostat at a reasonable temperature in the winter to avoid frozen pipes. It also helps to check your appliances and plumbing for leaks regularly.
Contact Summit Restoration, LLC, for Superior Water Damage Repairs
Does homeowners’ insurance cover water damage? Whether or not you have home insurance water damage coverage, you can count on Summit Restoration, LLC, to help you navigate the insurance claims process.
As a leading damage restoration company serving Draper, Utah, our skilled technicians work with many insurance companies and provide top-tier water and flood damage restoration and mold remediation services. Call (385) 469-2638 today to request immediate assistance from Summit Restoration, LLC or fill out our online contact form on our website..
