Homeowners often wonder, “Does home insurance cover water damage?” Water damage comes in many forms and from many sources, but your standard homeowners insurance policy may not provide coverage for every type.
To help you better understand the limits of your homeowners insurance, here is a basic guide to the types of water damage your policy won’t cover:
Making sure your home appliances and systems are in good working condition is critical for insurance as well as their functionality. Your home insurance can help you pay to repair damages caused by the sudden failure of an appliance, but won’t cover you if the failure happened because of unresolved maintenance problems.
For example, if your floors are damaged because your dishwasher has been leaking for months, you wouldn’t be eligible for coverage.
Floods can be catastrophic and happen for a variety of reasons. Storms, overflowing bodies of water and over-saturated ground can all lead to flooding and property damage. Unfortunately, regardless of why the flood happens, the damage will not be covered by your homeowners insurance.
You can purchase separate flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program to protect you in case of flood damage. Mortgage lenders often require proof of flood insurance when you’re purchasing a home in certain regions where flooding is prevalent.
Most homeowners policies typically don’t include coverage for water damage caused by a sewer or drain backup. An outside water source backing up might cause serious damage to your floors or foundation, but you’ll likely need to purchase additional coverage to help with the repairs.
Home insurance can help you pay for many kinds of repairs to your home. However, it’s important to remember these types of water damage that require additional insurance policies.
Barbara started in Real Estate in 2006 after another Realtor told her that her personality made her a perfect fit for the industry. There is no doubt that Barbara’s lively personality and warm heart make her an awesome Realtor. Barbara was born in Italy and speaks fluent Italian. She grew up in Medford and eventually moved to Everett where she resides today. Her personality combined with her background in home insurance and customer service make her experienced in multiple facets of Real Estate and willing to work hard to help her clients achieve their goals. In my spare time I volunteer at animal shelters and foster dogs until we find their forever home. I am also proud to say that with every transaction I complete, a portion of my commission is donated to a local animal shelter.
