When it comes to water damage in a home, there are a lot of things that can cause it. You have your basic burst pipes, which may or may not be due to extreme temperatures; you have damage that is caused when a tree puts a hole in your roof in the middle of a storm, and you have major flood damage. Your homeowners insurance is tailored by your insurance company, so we can’t say for sure what water damage your homeowners insurance policy covers, but we can give you a pretty good idea based on generalities. Home Insurance
First off, most insurance policies will pay for water damage caused by plumbing – sometimes. For instance, if you’ve done all you can to keep your pipes from freezing, and they freeze and burst anyway, your insurance company will probably pay for the damages. If, on the other hand, you have water damage from your plumbing because the plumbing company or the company, for instance, that installed your water heater, messed up, then your homeowners insurance will seek reparation from their business insurance. For the most part, plumbing issues can be a little sticky, so you might want to talk to your insurance agent if you have any specific questions.
In the second instance, that of storm damage, most typical homeowners insurance policies will pay for damages caused like this. If your homeowners insurance policy covers your home for storm damage at all, then it will cover your home for water damage caused by a storm. However, this may not apply when the damage caused by the storm is actually flood damage that occurred because it rained for so long. Home Insurance
That brings us to our last instance of water damage. Because floods are a huge risk and usually take out at least a few dozen homes at once, if they don’t take out hundreds, insurance companies generally don’t offer flood insurance. It’s just too big of a risk for the insurance company. If, however, you live in an area that might possibly become flooded – even if it hasn’t flooded in a very long time – you should look at purchasing flood insurance through the government. FEMA offers flood insurance to homes built in flood-proof areas, and since this is the only type of insurance they offer, they can afford to absorb the risk of widespread flooding.
These are certainly not the only types of water damage that can occur in your home, but for more specific information, you’ll have to check out your specific homeowners insurance policy, as it will list what is and is not covered for your home. If you still have questions, you can contact your insurance agent or company, and you’ll be able to get more specific answers there. Home Insurance