Homeowners often wonder, “Does home insurance cover water damage?” Water damage comes in many forms and from many sources, but your standard homeowners insurance policy may not provide coverage for every type.
To help you better understand the limits of your homeowners insurance, here is a basic guide to the types of water damage your policy won’t cover:
Making sure your home appliances and systems are in good working condition is critical for insurance as well as their functionality. Your home insurance can help you pay to repair damages caused by the sudden failure of an appliance, but won’t cover you if the failure happened because of unresolved maintenance problems.
For example, if your floors are damaged because your dishwasher has been leaking for months, you wouldn’t be eligible for coverage.
Floods can be catastrophic and happen for a variety of reasons. Storms, overflowing bodies of water and over-saturated ground can all lead to flooding and property damage. Unfortunately, regardless of why the flood happens, the damage will not be covered by your homeowners insurance.
You can purchase separate flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program to protect you in case of flood damage. Mortgage lenders often require proof of flood insurance when you’re purchasing a home in certain regions where flooding is prevalent.
Most homeowners policies typically don’t include coverage for water damage caused by a sewer or drain backup. An outside water source backing up might cause serious damage to your floors or foundation, but you’ll likely need to purchase additional coverage to help with the repairs.
Home insurance can help you pay for many kinds of repairs to your home. However, it’s important to remember these types of water damage that require additional insurance policies.
Lori Lockhart originally from York Pennsylvania has been a Sarasota resident and realtor for over 16 years. She specializes in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Venice and the surrounding areas. She is skillful at negotiating and partners with many professionals to offer the best resources to her clients. She is always accessible to her clients and listens to their needs first and foremost. She works with first time home buyers, luxury home owners as well as investors to help them achieve their real estate goals. She has a broad knowledge of the construction industry as she is a licensed Florida General Contractor. She is able to assess construction costs which are such a benefit to her clients as well as offering them advice with regards to new construction. Lori is energetic, hard-working, and strives to exceed her client's expectations by assisting them in every aspect of the transaction. Whether you're new to the area, buying a retirement home or investing in property she has a vast knowledge of it all!
