Water damage insurance claims are some of the most frequent home insurance claims that homeowners file. However, homeowner insurance does not cover all types of damages caused by water. Therefore, handling water damage insurance claims requires the homeowner to be careful and diligent before and during the claims process.

Home Insurance Covers Some, But Not All, Water Damage Claims

Generally, homeowners’ insurance covers water damage to your home, which is accidental and unexpected. Therefore, insurance covers water damage from heavy rainstorms and hurricanes. Likewise, if a storm knocked a big tree onto your house and rainwater entered through a hole in the roof or broken windows, insurance would cover water damage resulting from the fallen tree. Or if a pipe burst because of freezing weather, insurance would cover the resulting water damage. However, the homeowner has the responsibility to prevent further damage once a loss occurs. Therefore, in the example of the fallen tree, if the homeowner does not have the tree removed and the hole in the roof temporarily repaired, home insurance may not cover any water damage from a later storm. Typically, water damages from sewer backups are not covered. However, homeowners can purchase a rider to add to their policies to get this coverage.

What About Floods?

Homeowners’ insurance does not cover water damages from floods. Rather, people who live in flood-prone areas must purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Federal Emergency Management Administration FEMA) runs the NFIP. Whether a flood or simply heavy rain caused water damage to a home can be a mystery to homeowners. A good public adjuster can help a homeowner answer that question. Likewise, after the insurance claim process begins, an insurance adjuster will come to your home to inspect your damaged property. With burst pipes, if those pipes were old and corroded, leading to them bursting, the insurance company may deny coverage for the water damages. That is because your homeowners’ policy will have a section stating what the homeowners’ responsibilities are. In general, homeowners must maintain their homes. As a result, the insurance company may deny water damage claims caused by old corroded pipes or a roof that needed repairs. In addition, homeowners’ insurance covers water damage from sudden accidents. Homeowners’ insurance does not cover gradual water damage. Consequently, if there was a toilet or bathroom faucet that slowly leaked, causing damage to the ceiling and walls below the bathroom, the insurance company would deny coverage for that claim. It will help you to take pictures of all damaged areas of your home. Additionally, take pictures of all damaged items. You can show them to the insurance adjuster, who may not be at your home for a few days. For instance, if there is standing water in your home, take pictures of it before it you remove it. The more pictures you get, from different angles and distances, the stronger your claim will be.

What Should You Do When You Discover Water Damage in Your Home? Water Damage Insurance Claim Tips

The first thing you should do, if you can safely, is turn off the source of the leak. If a fallen tree broke windows or put a hole in your roof, make immediate temporary repairs to prevent further water damage. You should report the water damage to your insurance company as soon as you can. Most companies have 24/7 lines to report claims. Indeed, the sooner you report the water damage claim, the sooner the claims process can begin. If there is standing water, get it removed. Certainly, you can get a water restoration company to come in to do the work. Your insurance will cover their fees. In addition, if any damaged items are in the standing water, remove them to prevent further damage. The water restoration company can clean up and dry the areas of your home affected by the water damage. In fact, they can immediately take mold remediation steps to get rid of that problem. If you have to temporarily move, save all receipts for meals, hotels, mileage, etc. Your homeowners’ policy will cover your Additional Living Expenses (ALE). However, don’t pick the most expensive hotel or the fanciest restaurant every night if you want the insurance company to reimburse you fully.

You Need a Public Adjuster for a Water Damage Claim, Call AllCity Adjusting

We are a family-owned claims company with five decades of combined adjusting experience. As a result, if there’s one thing we understand, it’s that you need 100% of your claim value. Insurance companies undervalue your claim 8 out of 10 times. Moreover, they hire expensive adjusters to ensure they maintain a strong profit margin. Additionally, they have experienced actuaries that create insurance agency guidelines that help their team of agents challenge your insurance claim’s validity.  You have already gone through a tumultuous event. For this reason, get an agency that gets you more. At AllCity Adjusting we work to ensure you get 100% of your water claim value. Equally important, with over 50 years of combined adjusting experience, we know insurance companies and understand where they cut corners. Moreover, we help you build a larger claim, maximize your claim value, and get you back to normal fast. Don’t get fooled, get the company that gets you more. If water damage occurs because of a burst water pipe or severe storm, call AllCity Adjusting. Filing a water damage claim can be complicated. Moreover, the claims process for a water damage claim can frustrate most homeowners. Since homeowners’ insurance covers some types of water damage, but not others, AllCity Adjusting can help you out.  Lastly, if you have received a low-ball offer from the homeowners’ or renters’ insurance company, or they are taking too long to process your claim or you just want to talk to someone on your side, call us at 844.692.3587. Or you can email us at info@allcityadhjusting.com.