What Kind Of Water Damage Does Home Insurance Cover?

If you want to make sure your home is protected, it's important to understand the different types of dangers that you need to insure against. Water damage is tricky because different types of water damage may or may not be covered by home insurance. Here's an overview of what is and isn't covered.

Burst Pipes

A burst pipe will usually be covered by home insurance. This is true as long as it's a sudden issue. The most common example would be a pipe freezing due to cold weather and causing a leak. You may also have a pipe burst if a tree falls on your home or if you have other structural damage that impacts the pipe.

It's important to separate a sudden burst from something that would be considered a maintenance issue. For example, a burst pipe caused by a tree root would often not be covered because the damage was avoidable by taking care in planning your landscaping. Other maintenance issues, like allowing your pipes to be clogged with items you shouldn't have flushed, also may not be covered.

Rain

Rain is covered by home insurance as long as it's falling from the sky. The most common type of rain damage is from a leaky roof. Coverage for a leaky roof may depend on whether you've kept up with roof maintenance or tried to repair your roof in a timely manner. Uncorrected roof issues may lead to your claim being denied.

Another source of rain damage that's covered by home insurance is when the wind blows the rain. For example, rain may enter through small gaps in your walls or windows.

Once the rain is on the ground, this is considered flooding. Flood damage is typically covered by separate flood insurance rather than home insurance.

Ice Dams

During cold weather, snow or ice may accumulate on your roof. Damage from the resulting melt is treated similarly to rain damage. However, you may need to make efforts to clear excess ice and snow in a timely manner to maintain your coverage. In addition to potential water damage, damage from the weight of the snow or ice is also typically covered.

Snow and ice melting on the ground would usually not be covered by home insurance. This would fall under flooding and need flood insurance coverage instead.

To learn more about the coverage you need for water damage, contact a local home insurance provider today.

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