Water can cause significant damage to a home if it is not taken care of immediately. Whether the water damage resulted from a flood, leak, rain, or broken pipes, it can cause thousands in damages and spread quickly.
Many homeowner insurance policies cover water damage to an extent, but not all do. It is important to read through your policy carefully to see when you are and are not covered for this kind of catastrophic event.
Do a Yearly Review
It is advisable to review all your insurance policies yearly to see if everything you need is covered, including water damage. Every homeowner’s insurance policy is different, so you want to be absolutely sure of your benefits and what you can expect when there is a problem.
What Is Usually Covered?
Policies often cover sudden and internal damage. This means the water damage occurred from a problem with the HVAC system, steam, or other accidental damage. External damage often covered by insurance policies includes water from extinguishing a fire or heavy rain.
Plumbing problems are also often covered, like in the case of burst and broken pipes and overflowing toilets that cause damage to the home’s structure.
What About Flood Insurance?
Flood insurance is often a separate policy and often covers water damage as the result of heavy rain, flash flooding, and rising rivers or lakes. However, since it is a separate policy, you need to be sure to purchase it on top of your regular homeowner’s insurance policy.
Can You Prevent Water Damage?
The best steps to take are those that help you avoid water damage from occurring in the first place. Regular home maintenance, like routine plumbing and appliance maintenance, can prevent many water damage problems.
Regularly check the outside of the home, especially the roof, and make sure there aren’t any areas where water can penetrate the home.
Identifying the Source of the Water Damage
To determine if your insurance covers the water damage, you need to be able to pinpoint and identify the source of the damage. This is the first step of the claim process as well before repairs are made, and the area is dried out.
If there is buckling in the floor, there could be a leaking pipe, and if the ceiling is wet and sagging, it could be a roofing problem. Finding the source of the water damage problem helps ensure that the restoration job is done right.
Once you have reviewed your policy and pinpointed the source of the water damage, it is time to call in an expert water damage restoration company that can come in and ensure the area is cleaned and dried thoroughly. They will assess the damage, gauge the moisture level in the home, and then use their specialized equipment to achieve an effective and fast drying time.