Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?

 

Thoroughly reading through your Greensboro homeowners insurance policy is the best way to learn just what is and what isn't covered in your contract.  It's especially important to understand how water damage is handled, since claims for water damage can often be denied by an insurer due to confusion of what qualifies under a standard policy.

Water Damage Coverage on Your Greensboro Homeowners Insurance Policy

A standard home insurance policy requires that for a claim to qualify for payment, it be a sudden and unexpected loss.  There are additional requirements for a qualified water damage claim.

The source of water damage may be varied.  As a rule, in order to qualify for a claim the water that damages your home must be the result of one of the perils covered by your homeowners policy.  This may include:

• Rain or snowstorm damage
• Plumbing accidents such as burst pipes, accidental overflow of a bathtub, toilet or sink, faulty water-using appliances such as hot water heaters, washing machines or air conditioners
• Frozen plumbing inside the house
• Water damage from fire extinguishment
• Vandalism

From the Top Down, Not the Bottom Up

One way to think about water damage that qualifies for a loss claim is to remember that the damaging water must have never touched the outside ground.  Another way to look at it is that the damaging water must be internal or come from above, never from below.  This qualifies:

• Ground water seepage
• Sewer pipe or water backups
• Flooding

You'll also find that water damage caused by lack of maintenance or neglect will not be covered by your Greensboro homeowners insurance policy.  This means if the pipes in your home freeze and then burst while the home if left unoccupied and the heat was turned off, you won't likely be covered for the loss.

Mold

Mold is insidious and dangerous to your health and often accompanies water damage.  Whether on not your home insurance will cover you for mold removal/remediation costs will be determined by the cause of the water damage preceding the mold development.  If the water damage is covered, the mold removal will likely also be covered.

Flooding

Flood damage can be covered by getting a special flood policy.  Available through your trusted agent or broker, these policies come from a government program called the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which comes under direction of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.