For the most part, homeowner's insurance is fairly straightforward in that it covers the structure of your home and your personal property from disasters such as fire, wind damage and burglary. But when it comes to water damage to your home and personal items, your homeowner's may or may not have it covered.
Generally homeowner's insurance will help cover water damage if the cause is sudden and accidental. According to the Insurance Information Institute, homeowner's policies may help pay for repairs if, for example, your drywall is soaked as a result of a water heater rupture or an upstairs pipe bursts and water saturates the ceiling below.
Depending on the damage, there are two types of coverages within a homeowner's policy that could apply.
Dwelling Coverage - helps pay for damage to the structure of your home if it is damaged by a disaster such as a broken pipe.
Personal Property Coverage - helps pay for damage to your belongings if they are damage by a water disaster.
Even with a policy, you need to remember that coverage can be affected by one, a deductible, and two coverage limits.
But there are types of water damage not covered by a homeowner's policy. They include...
Damage From Neglected Or Unresolved Maintenance Issues: If you have had ongoing issues with leaky pipes, a problem shower stall or a bad dishwasher, then all of the damage may not be covered.
Replacing Or Repairing The Source Of Water Damage: This could include not paying for pipe replacement, a dishwasher, refrigerator or a washing machine.
Water Backup From An Outside Sewer Or Drain: Usually you will not be covered by a homeowner's policy if water back into your home through an outside sewer or drain.
Flood: No type of flood damage, regardless of the source of the water (from storms, ponds, rivers, the ocean), is covered by a homeowner's policy.
Your J.P. Perry Insurance agent can help you determine what type of water damage your current policy covers and can help you avoid any future issues. For example, your agent can help you address water damage from an outside sewer or drain by adding sewer/water backup coverage to your existing policy. Or they can help you obtain flood insurance sold through representative of the National Flood Insurance Program.
Water can cause a lot of damage to a home. So it makes sense to recheck your coverage to make sure you are protected.