Dealing with a Water Claim: The Role of Public Adjusting

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Does Your Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Water Damage?

If water damages your house, will your standard homeowner’s insurance policy cover it? Perhaps. If it’s an abrupt internal water leak, then yes, it should. However, the policy doesn’t cover harm done by neglect, utter disregard, or damage caused by a flood.

When Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Water Damage?

Standard home insurance policies typically require water damage to be both unexpected and interior, with the prerequisite that the water has never come in contact with the outside ground. This means the water damage must result from one of the 16 risks covered by homeowner’s insurance.

Some reasons you ARE covered by your policy:

• Downpour or blizzard

• Plumbing: Burst pipes, solidified pipes, defective pipes, unintentional flood

• Water damage from stifling a fire

• A leaking roof (coverage would extend only to the home interior, not the roof itself)

• An accidental overflow of an appliance or fixture (washing machine, bathtub)

• Vandalism

When Does Homeowner’s Insurance Not Cover Water Damage?

Water damage isn’t always covered by your home insurance if it’s not the result of an accident or abrupt, unexpected event. Neglect or lack of maintenance causing water damage will mean you’re responsible for the cost of repairs.

Certain circumstances where homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover water damage include:

• Ground drainage

• Water or sewer pipe backups

• Flooding

• Poorly maintained pipes leading to leaks

Standard policies won’t cover water damage resulting from a flood. Instead, you’ll need to buy extra flood insurance, especially if you live in a high-risk area prone to flooding, like Louisiana.

Mold from Water Damage:

Mold is very common and is often found after water damages your home, but it’s not always covered by homeowner’s insurance. Mold remediation can cost up to $30,000.

When Is Mold Covered by Homeowner’s Insurance?

Mold is covered when the water damage is related to a common hazard. If circumstances like burst pipes or an AC system overflow allow mold to grow, your homeowner’s insurance should cover all or part of the mold removal cost because the mold is considered an extension of “water damage.” You might want to buy a floater policy or endorsement that adds “additional mold coverage” to your insurance if you think mold could eventually be a problem where you live.