Water damage remains the most common cause of home insurance claims. It is for this reason that most homeowners have to inquiry if and what extent of water da3r2mage is covered under their home insurance policy.

Most home insurance policies will cover most accidental water damage, while gradual water damages are not covered. To understand damage is not covered under your insurance policy please consult your insurance agent.

Types of water damage.

1. Floods.
2. Accidental or sudden discharge/ bust plumbing.
3. Overflow of sink or bathtubs or sewer back up.
4. Storm-related water damage.

What water damage is covered by home insurance?

This one of the most common questions asked by homeowners. Most Home owner’s concerns include :

• Whether damage from overflowed sinks and bathtubs or leaking toilets is covered by the insurance?
• Whether damage from a leaking roof is covered?
• Whether home insurance covers water leaks?

The answer to these questions depends on these 3 factors :

1. Whether the water damage was accidental, sudden, or gradual.
2. The type of home insurance policy you have.
3. The source of the damage.

NOTE: most home insurance covers don’t cover gradual water damage. It is therefore important for you to ensure that the plumbing system is maintained regularly to avoid leaks. For more information on gradual water damage click here.

Here is the tip on how to file a claim after water damage.

Whatever the cause of the water damage it important you follow the following steps to guarantee your claim is not declined.

• Inform your insurance company.

Insurance companies understand the urgency involved with a water damage claim. Most of these insurance companies will recommend several local water damage restoration companies within 24 hours of you informing them of your issue.

A fast response can reduce the damage by over 60%, hence it is important to initiate water damage remediation and restoration efforts immediately.

• If you can get the cause of the water damage under control.

Limiting the damage remains the sole responsibility of the homeowner, insurance has the right to deny your insurance claim should they prove you intentionally failed to limit the water damage.

The actions you can take will depend on the source of water damage:

• If it's leaking or burst pipe – you should close the water at the main gauge.
• If it is a leaking roof – you can install a tarp to temporarily block the rainwater.
• You can also seal up any spaces or cracks in the walls that are let the rainwater indoors.

Keep these efforts up till the water damage remediation and restoration company takes over.

• Contact an independent contractor and public adjuster.

A public adjuster will read through the term and conditions of your insurance policy and find the appropriate coverage for your situation. An independent contractor will assess the damage level and provide you with estimates on the cost of the repairs needed.

• Finalize claim.

The insurance company sends a claim adjuster that assess the damage and identify the cause of the damage. While the insurance company is required to compensate you for the cost of repairing the damages. At times they might dispute other damage like the cost of repairing pre-existing problems in the home that are not covered by your policy.

To ensure your claim is not disputed it is important to ensure you document everything.