Water Damage - How Do You Know What Insurance Will Cover?
Carrie Harris
Homeowners insurance is supposed to cover everything that might happen to your home, right? Actually, the answer is no it doesn't, and it doesn't have to. The sad truth is, however, that most people aren't even aware of what their policy covers. A little research will do wonders for your future.
Have you experienced any water damage in your home? Chances are, if you have, you have already learned what your homeowners insurance policy covers. If you haven't, it is time to get real with yourself and realize that it could potentially happen. You don't want to live in fear, but you don't want to live in ignorance either. Learning about your policy can be eye opening.
No matter what type of water damage you may have, there are different types that are covered with insurance and types that aren't. I know that it doesn't seem right, as water should always be water, but with the insurance world, that isn't the case.
To clarify, here are some different types of water damage.
If you have ever experienced water damage due to flooding, you know that it can create a big mess and in some cases a big loss. Not only did you possibly lose possessions, but you probably also had to have some repairs done on your house. Your carpet may needed to have been removed, walls redone, etc. If you only have a simple insurance policy, none of this would be covered.
So, how do you get flood insurance? The only want to get it is through the government. Depending on where you live, it might be a good investment. Of course you will never know ahead of time if you need it, but you never know ahead of time if any accident will happen, right?
Let's take a look at another water damage problem. Let's say you leave the water running in the bathtub and forgot to turn it off. You will no doubt have a big mess in a short amount of time. If the bathroom is up on the second level of your home, it can eventually seep into the ceiling of the first level and cause a lot of damage. The great thing is, your standard policy will cover this type of damage.
Just because your insurance will pay for your mistakes with leaving water on, doesn't mean they will cover for other mistakes. You will have to check with your personal insurance agent to find out what is and isn't covered. That way, you will be fully informed ahead of time.
These are just a few things that I can help you with in determining what is covered as far as water damage. Of course you should check with your own particular insurance policy and agent to be sure what all is covered, but this is a start.
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