Water Damage - What is your home covered for?

Water can cause a lot of damage to your home, and repairs can be costly. So don’t presume you’re fully covered, only to find out you’re not. Insurance coverage for water damage depends on a number of things, like where you live and how your home was constructed. Insurance for some types of water damage may be included automatically in your policy, and some may need to be purchased as extra.

There are two causes of water damage that aren’t covered under most standard home insurance plans - Flooding and Seepage.

Flooding results in damage from water that flows into your home from natural sources like lakes and rivers, or large amounts of pooled water.

And Seepage refers to the slow movement of water or other fluid through small openings, cracks or pores in your home.

Water damage that can be covered by home insurance policies are....

Sewer backup and sump pump coverage is when water is forced through the sewer system back into your home, or your sump pump fails.

Water Escape. This covers water damage that may be caused when your bath or sink overflows or a pipe or hose inside your house breaks.

And Freezing. This is when there is damage to your home as a result of frozen internal water pipes.

Ask your insurance provider to tell you exactly what you’re covered for to avoid unwelcomed costs at claims time.