What You Should Know About Water Damage and Your Insurance Policy

6/11/2019 (Permalink)

A leaky pipe will likely be covered

Questions You Might Have Regarding Your Policy

If a pipe breaks in your Prospect Heights, IL home and causes water to flood your home, the good news is that this will most likely be covered by your homeowners insurance. While this is usually a covered peril, however, there are some exceptions. The following are a few questions that you might have regarding your policy.

1. When is Damage Covered by Insurance?

When you experience water damage from a broken or leaky pipe, the cost of resulting damage will likely be covered. If the flood is the result of a broken pipe caused by freezing weather or a sudden accident, this will usually be included in your policy. However, you will often be required to pay for any costs related to repairing and replacing the pipe.

2. When is Damage Not Covered by Insurance?

If the insurance company believes that the pipe has broken as a result of your own negligence, then you will likely be denied insurance coverage. This can happen if you have not taken proper precautions to prevent freezing pipes during cold weather or if you have failed to maintain your home. You may also be required to pay for damages if you wait too long to contact your insurance company and the damage has worsened in the meantime.

3. What Should You Do When You Discover the Damage?

To prevent your insurance company from denying your claim, you should be sure to contact them as soon as possible. You should also hire a water damage remediation company to fix the broken pipe and do any necessary repairs in your home. While you wait for workers to arrive, you can begin documenting the damage and making temporary repairs to prevent water from spreading.

While a flood in your home can cause a lot of worry, the claims process can go more smoothly if you take the appropriate actions. Performing regular maintenance on your home can prevent problems and will make it easier to be approved for coverage if an accident does happen.