Water damage can be one of the most detrimental types of damage that can occur to your home. When you purchase your home owner insurance policy it is important to understand that all water damage is not the same. Unfortunately, the cause of the damage will dictate whether your home owner’s insurance will cover the costs of repair. In some cases, you will need to add flood insurance to your home owner’s insurance coverage.
What Is Flood Damage?
To understand if you need a separate flood policy in addition to your home owner insurance policy, you need to know what flood damage is. Floods can cause just as much or more damage as other types of water damage. However, if the water is from specific sources listed in a flood policy, it will not be covered under your typical home owner’s insurance. In basic terms, flood insurance is designed to cover damage that is caused by water that has risen from the ground. To qualify for flood damage, the water damage must have resulted from:
- A river that has overflowed its banks.
- Heavy rain that did not absorb into the ground and entered your home.
- Heavy rain or flash flooding that caused a mudslide that enters your home.
In general terms, if the water originated from the ground, it will qualify for flood coverage.
What Is Water Damage?
Basic water damage that comes from other sources will not require you to add additional flood insurance to your existing home owner insurance policy. The most common causes for covered water damage include:
- Burst water pipes.
- A broken window that lets rain inside your home.
- A leaky roof that leads to water damage from the rain.
This insurance can also cover some aspects of flood damage, even if you don’t add additional flood insurance to your policy. For instance, if you must evacuate your home due to flood damage, your home owner’s insurance will still offer coverage if someone breaks into your home and steals your belongings. Even though the water damage coverage of your home owner insurance policy and flood damage insurance are separate aspects of your policy, they are designed to complement each other, providing you with the coverage to pay for the various types of water damage that can occur in your home. If you aren’t sure whether you need flood insurance or if your home owner’s insurance coverage is sufficient, contact us. We will go over your policy and help you determine the amount of coverage you need.