All about Water Damage Insurance Policies
Did you know about Water Damage Insurance Policies? Water damage is a common problem in many homes, either due to a plumbing problem or a natural disaster such as a flood.
To keep your assets safe, you can get them covered by an insurance policy; however, you must clearly understand what is covered and what is not so that you do not end up paying expensive monthly premiums.
In any case, most insurance companies provide water damage insurance if the disaster occurs suddenly and unintentionally.
However, it will not cover damages caused due to lack of maintenance. This may sound simple enough, but it cannot be easy to understand, so you will need to talk to your insurer to explain the details of your insurance policy.
Types of water damage
Water damage is classified into three general categories you should try to understand before getting your home covered by water damage insurance. That way, you’ll be better positioned to negotiate a fair deal with your potential insurer.
Type 1
This category includes “clear water” that flows from a sink and that comes from a broken pipe. This problem can be resolved in 48 hours or less, and it should be; Otherwise, the water may eventually come into contact with contaminants. If this happens, the potential water damage will increase to Category 2.
Type 2
This category includes gray water released by household appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines. These are chemical waste and include leftovers from detergents, soaps and laundry cleaners.
Because gray water can encourage microbial growth, this water damage category can pose a serious contamination risk to anyone. The severity can worsen over time, so you and your family should be careful, as both direct and indirect exposure to contaminated gray water can negatively affect personal health.
Type 3
This is the most serious category of water damage and includes black water from sewers and water containing grease or oil. This water damage is dangerous because it can quickly become infected with bacteria, viruses, and other toxic allergens.
According to research, the chances of contracting a disease or infection from direct or indirect contact with black water is more than 90%.
Water Damage Insurance Policies
Conditions of water damage covered by insurance
Does the homeowner’s insurance cover water damage? The answer is yes; most standard home insurance policies cover water damage if it meets any or all of the following conditions:
-
Sudden Leakage
This means that for water damage to be covered, it must have occurred inside the home and been caused by accident such as a leaking water heater.
The insurance company will cover the cost of repairing floors damaged by a heater leak, but it will not cover the costs you will incur to repair or fix the leaking appliance.
This type of water damage insurance coverage usually has an additional stipulation: that water leaking from the heater must not reach or touch the ground outside.
-
Extreme Weather
In this type of water damage insurance, if a storm causes trees to fall and pipes to be damaged or brings rainwater into the home, the insurer will cover the cost of repairing the pipes or the home.
-
Fire-Based Water Damage
Water used to extinguish a fire can cause damage to property and belongings. In particular, the pressure from a fire hose can ruin a home rather than save it. The good news is that this type of water damage can be a valid basis for an insurance claim.
Once the fire is out, take a picture or record the water damage to your property. Also, list the items or equipment that were damaged inside the home.
These documents, including photos and videos, should be part of your water damage insurance claim list that you can submit to your insurance company and should help speed up the claim process.
-
Mold Growth
Mold growth usually occurs after multiple water damage events. Within 24 hours of the disaster, mold spores may have appeared in your home.
They will eventually destroy your drywall, floorboards and wood, but you can take comfort in that most insurance policies cover mold growth due to water damage.
The key is to photograph or record the damage to your property. It’s also a good idea to list places where mold grew immediately after the water damage.
Document anything that may have been adversely affected by mold growth. This should give you a good chance of making a successful insurance claim.
- Vandalism
It is common for unauthorized persons to vandalize or intentionally destroy water and sanitation facilities. However, this is only sometimes used as the basis for filing an insurance claim under the water damage category, even though coverage is usually extended.
The reasoning is that vandalism of precious metal pipes, fittings and maintenance hole covers clutters up the sewer system and makes it more susceptible to water damage.
Unfortunately, there is little or no documentation on how fewer cases of vandalism can lead to better water and sanitation services.
Water damage conditions not covered by insurance
If unforeseen accidents or events that cause water damage are covered by insurance, those expected to happen soon are not.
If the problem is something you could have avoided but ignored, the insurance company will not pay for the inconvenience caused.
The following fall under this condition:
Water Damage Insurance Policies
-
Plumbing Maintenance
A good example of this would be an overflowing washing machine. The latter will be covered if the floor is damaged due to overflow. However, if your insurer determines that the overflow occurred because no maintenance was performed on your washer, the damaged floor will not be considered insurable.
-
Repair and Replacement
If your water heater is leaking and your house’s floor is damaged, it should be covered by your water damage insurance. However, your insurance policy usually does not cover repairing or replacing a heater.
-
Sewage Backup
Usually, many standard insurance policies have a provision where it is clearly stated that water damage caused by a sewage backup is not covered. Insurers, however, often support homeowners where sewage backup water damage is covered at an additional cost.
-
Flood
Typically, water damage caused by a flood is not covered under any insurance policy. Instead, a separate coverage known as flood insurance seeks to protect against this common natural disaster.
Important Achievements about Water Damage Insurance Policies
Insurance policies are an effective means of keeping you, your family and your property safe from disasters. However, water damage is unique because certain conditions must be present before your insurance claim is approved.
Thus, you must know which water damage situations are covered and which are not. This will help you determine the type of water damage insurance best suited for your particular situation.
We hope you like our article on All about Water Damage Insurance Policies.
Thanks for visiting US Map Time Zones