My Basement Is Underwater! What Now?

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Understanding your homeowners insurance will help you to take preventive steps to protect your Kaysville, UT home.

If you discover your Kaysville, UT, basement underwater, do you know if it would be covered under your homeowners insurance? Insurance coverage is often very ambiguous about the type of flooding it will cover and won't. Just because you have a basement flood doesn't mean your insurance will cover it. It pays to know beforehand what will be covered under your homeowners insurance and what you may need additional insurance for.

Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover the Damage?

Each situation is different, so there are no guarantees that all of the damage will be covered by your insurance. There are common situations that are generally included in homeowners insurance coverage.

• Freezing Pipe Burst
  

Flood damage from pipes that freeze and then burst is typically covered by home insurance policies as long as you were living in the home at the time of the burst. These include pipes from the home's plumbing system and those of appliances, sprinkler systems, and air conditioning units. If you were not living there and had the heat or water systems turned off (e.g., if you went away for winter vacation), the insurance policy probably would not cover the damage.

• Overflowing Water Receptacle
  

People often don't realize that damage from an overflowing water receptacle is usually covered by a homeowners insurance policy. This includes flood damage from bathtubs, sinks, toilets, and pools.

• Broken Appliance
  

Standard homeowners insurance will typically cover damage to a flooded area due to a faulty appliance. This could include a washing machine, refrigerator, or any other appliance that leaks a lot of water onto the floor. However, if the company can prove that the appliance malfunction was due to a lack of proper maintenance, they could deny the claim. The insurance policy will cover the damage caused by the water but will not cover the cost of a new appliance.

• Leaking Water Heater
  

Insurance companies will typically cover a leaking water heater like most other leaking appliances. If it's purely a water heater malfunction that caused the water, the damage should be covered. If you hadn't been maintaining the water heater correctly and caused it to malfunction and leak, it probably won't be covered.

Unfortunately, there are three common basement flood situations that a standard homeowners insurance policy wouldn't typically cover.

1. Flooding Caused By Nature

Flooding caused by an act of nature would not be covered under homeowners insurance. This would only be covered under a flood insurance policy, but these policies are usually limited.

2. Underground Water Seeping

After heavy rainfall, water can seep into your basement through the saturated ground. The seepage must be directly related to a flood to be covered.

3. Sewer Backup

Most home insurance coverage will only cover what is typically a minimal amount of a sewer backup. Insurance will usually only cover about $10,000 worth of damage, but this type of damage can cost well over that amount for flood damage restoration experts and other professionals to repair.

When a disaster causes a basement flood, the cleaning and restoration process needs to begin immediately. The floodwater can cause even more damage as it lingers.