Signing up for homeowners insurance is a rather simple process. Your insurance company may make it even easier to pay your insurance premium. But what about making a claim on your homeowner’s insurance? Your insurance understands how to confuse things.
Water damage insurance claims might be difficult to understand. They become especially aggravating when you consider how costly the harm might be. Furthermore, water leaks are extremely dangerous because they are stealthy perpetrators, and it can take years to notice the damage. Water damage is one of the most common and expensive issues that homeowners confront. Water damage, whether from a broken pipe, a leaking roof, or natural catastrophe flooding, can quickly lead to major repairs. The good news is that water damage is typically covered by most homeowner’s insurance plans. Making a successful insurance claim, on the other hand, can be difficult. In this blog post, we will discuss how to successfully file a water leak insurance claim.
As a result, we’ve developed a list of strategies and suggestions to help you figure out how to make a successful water leak insurance claim.
What is covered by water leak insurance?
Water leak insurance can pay for repairs, new appliances, and even hotel stays if your home is unusable due to a water leak. You’ll need proof of the leak and any damages to file a successful claim. Keep any incident receipts and invoices so you can give them to your insurer.
Making a successful Claim:
Following hail storms and high-speed wind occurrences, water damage insurance claims are the most typically submitted. Water damage, on the other hand, can occur practically anywhere, at any time, and isn’t usually caused by bad weather or flooding. With this in mind, it’s critical to understand that flooding-related water damage is not covered by ordinary home insurance. To protect against flood damage, you’ll need to get a separate flood insurance policy.
As previously stated, despite their prevalence, water damage insurance claims are not always successful. As a result, if you want to file a successful water leak insurance claim, keep the following ideas and strategies in mind when something goes wrong:
Tips and Tricks:
Find the source of water, and take measures to stop it:
If you are confident that it is safe to proceed, take quick steps to prevent more water from running where it should not. This could imply turning off your home’s main valve (which sometimes necessitates the use of a wrench) or an individual water supply valve, often known as a “stop.” To stop the flow of water, turn off the stops leading to your dishwasher, toilet, washing machine, or icemaker (clockwise). Here’s more information on how to turn off water delivery valves. By the way, before a tragedy happens, it’s a good idea to look into water leak-detecting systems and automated shutoff valves. With a modest investment, you might avoid a major claim and possibly save money through a home insurance discount.
Determine if your water insurance is covered by insurance:
Water damage accounted for approximately one-quarter of all home insurance claims in 2018. Water damage claims actually outnumbered fire and storm losses in the United States from 2014 to 2016. What do these figures mean? Water damage is relatively prevalent. However, not all types of water damage are covered by a standard homeowner’s policy.
Water damage is typically covered by homeowners insurance:
- Unexpected plumbing or appliance problems
- Pipes that have frozen and exploded
- Roof leaking
- Ice damming
Water Damage is Not Usually Covered:
While most homeowner’s insurance policies cover water damage, there are several situations when your policy may not cover you. Understanding these typical exclusions might help you better manage and maintain your property, avoiding costly repairs. Here are a few types of water damage that isn’t usually covered by insurance:
- Water damage caused by a lack of basic maintenance or negligence on your part may not be covered by your insurance company. For example, if you neglect to fix a leaky roof, causing inside damage, you may be judged negligent, and the expense of repairs will be your responsibility.
- Gradual harm: Damage that occurs gradually over time is typically not covered by insurance coverage. This includes damage caused by gradual leaks, decaying plumbing, or seepage through the foundation of your home. These problems are regarded as normal wear and tear, and the cost of repairs is borne by the homeowner.
- Flood damage: While water damage caused by burst pipes or heavy rain may be covered, flooding caused by natural catastrophes is often not covered by regular homeowners’ policies. Heavy rainstorms, hurricanes, and quick snowmelt can all cause flooding in Massachusetts. You must acquire a separate flood insurance policy via the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer to safeguard your property from flood damage.
- Damage caused by sewage or septic system backup is another common exclusion. These occurrences can cause severe property damage as well as health dangers. To protect your house against this type of damage, you may need to add an endorsement to your policy or purchase separate coverage.
- Earth movement: Damage from water seepage or infiltration caused by earth movement, such as landslides or soil erosion, may not be covered by your policy in some areas of Massachusetts, notably in the western section of the state. You should evaluate your insurance to determine the scope of your coverage for these occurrences.
Call your insurance agent and report the claim:
Time is of the essence when it comes to flood damage. Mold and mildew can begin to grow 24-48 hours after exposure, according to FEMA. So, if your pipe bursts on Friday night, don’t wait until Monday morning to notify your agent/insurance company. Most carriers have 24-hour hotlines to help you navigate the claims procedure and assist you with cleanup. Unless you are capable of properly cleaning and drying the area on your own, it is prudent to contact a water damage/restoration firm. Insurance companies may be loath to recommend a specific water damage firm, but they should be able to point you in the direction of numerous nearby possibilities.
Get a claim verdict:
After assessing the damage to your home, the claims adjuster typically has another 15 days to decide whether you have a valid water damage claim. During this waiting period of the insurance claim process, you can look for vendors to use and get estimates for the work. Furthermore, get your damage estimates so you are better informed in case your settlement offer is low-ball. A local contractor or public adjuster can assist you with this part of the process. A public insurance adjuster will typically provide the most honest, unbiased assessment.
Agree on the settlement:
Finally, if all goes well, you and your insurer should agree on the settlement terms. Once this happens, the payout should be issued to you within five days. If your insurer decides not to cover water leak damage expenses, you can file a complaint or appeal with your State’s insurance department.
Conclusion:
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your claim or your settlement award, you can always negotiate with your insurance provider. Public adjusters are highly qualified professionals who can maximize and expedite claim payments. Public adjusters, unlike insurance adjusters, work for you. As a result, they will work indefinitely for your benefit and to safeguard your rights. Allow AllCity Adjusting to handle your public adjuster requirements!