Water Damage… Is it covered under your homeowners policy?

Scenario 1.

Tom & Jane come home and discover power out, go down to basement and the basement has an inch of water. Is this covered under your homeowner’s policy?

Potential damage from water/sewer backup is a necessary concern for any homeowner. While not automatically included in any standard homeowners, coverage should be endorsed to any homeowner’s policy, protecting against sewer backup whether from mechanical failure of a sub pump or loss of power.

Scenario 2.

Tom & Jane live at the lowest point of the neighborhood. Storms create excessive rain and storm drains overflow casing water to flood their basement. Is this covered under your homeowner’s policy?

Damage from surface water flooding, ground water peculating through basement of a foundation walls damaging the structures or personal property requires a separate flood insurance policy written only by the National Insurance program.

This chart illustrates the importance of having adequate water/sewer backup and flood insurance.

Reference: Insurance Information Institute