Orlando Harmon
Water damage is one of the most common and costly home insurance claims. Whether your homeowners insurance covers water damage depends on the source of the water and how quickly the damage occurred. If the damage is sudden or accidental and comes from inside your home, you may be protected with a standard homeowners insurance policy. For example, if a pipe bursts or an appliance malfunctions, your insurance may cover the damage. However, if the water damage is caused by outside flooding or a neglected repair, you will likely not be covered by standard homeowners insurance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Water damage covered by homeowners insurance | Water damage from rain, a burst pipe, or a covered peril such as a storm breaking a window |
| Water damage not covered by homeowners insurance | Flooding, sewer or drain backup, groundwater seepage, lack of maintenance or neglect, mold (unless it is an extension of water damage), water damage from outside the home |
| Additional protection | Water backup and sump pump overflow coverage, flood insurance, sewer and water backup coverage |
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What You'll Learn
Flood damage
Water damage from flooding is typically not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. This is because floods can happen anywhere and can cause thousands of dollars' worth of damage. Therefore, it is essential to have flood insurance, especially if you live in a high-risk flood zone or near a body of water or steep hill prone to water overflow.
Homeowners insurance usually covers sudden and accidental internal water damage, like burst pipes or a leaky roof. However, damage caused by external flooding is generally not covered. For instance, if you haven't maintained your roof properly and water enters through cracked or rotting tiles, homeowners insurance won't cover the resulting damage.
You can purchase separate flood insurance to cover flood damage to your home and personal property. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), managed by FEMA, is the largest single-line insurance program in the nation, providing nearly $1.3 trillion in coverage against floods. It offers flood insurance to property owners, renters, and businesses, helping them recover faster when floodwaters recede. You can get a free quote for flood insurance coverage through the NFIP Quote Tool and then share the quote with an agent or your insurance company to purchase the policy. However, there is typically a 30-day waiting period for an NFIP policy to go into effect unless mandated by a government-backed lender or related to a community flood map change.
In addition to flood insurance, you may also want to consider adding water backup coverage to your homeowners insurance policy for further protection. This type of coverage can protect against water damage from a sewer or drain backup, which is typically not covered under standard policies.
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Sewer or drain backup
Sewer backup insurance is an optional add-on to homeowners' insurance policies. It covers damage caused by water pushed up through pipes or a sewer system, which can include damage to the sewer line, removing standing sewage, and repairing damage caused by the backup.
Sewer backup insurance does not cover damage from surface water or typical flooding. However, it may cover flooding caused by a broken sewer line or a failing sump pump. It is important to note that standard homeowners' insurance does not typically cover sewer backups.
The cost of sewer backup coverage varies depending on factors such as location, foundation, previous claims history, age of the home, water source, and the presence of a sump pump. The average annual cost of a home insurance policy with $20,000 in added sewer backup coverage is $1,237, which is less than the typical annual cost of home insurance. The additional cost of sewer backup coverage typically ranges from $50 to $250 per year.
Sewer backup can occur due to various reasons, including clogged pipes, tree roots invading older or cracked pipes, and aging plumbing systems. It is essential to address the warning signs of a sewer backup, such as clogs in sinks or showers, unusual drain odours, slow drainage, and gurgling sounds.
While sewer backup insurance is optional, it is worth considering the potential costs of repairs and cleanup in the event of a backup. Sewer backups can result in expensive damage, as demonstrated by some personal accounts of individuals who experienced sewer backups and incurred significant costs.
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Rain damage
Whether or not homeowners insurance covers rain damage depends on the situation and the source of the water. If the damage is sudden and accidental, and comes from inside your home, you may be protected by a standard homeowners insurance policy. However, you typically won't be covered if the rain damage is caused by outside flooding or a neglected repair.
Homeowners insurance generally covers water damage from rain if it enters your home due to a covered peril, such as a windstorm, a tornado, or a fallen tree. For example, if a windstorm blows a tree over and it punches a hole in your roof, allowing rainwater to pour into your home, your insurance will likely cover the damage. If a storm breaks a window, allowing rain to enter your house and causing water damage, your policy's loss of use coverage may pay for you to live elsewhere while your home is being repaired.
However, if your home floods due to heavy rain, this type of damage is usually not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. You would need a separate flood insurance policy to cover any damage from flooding. Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, the contents of a building, or both.
Rain that enters the home can lead to mold, and depending on how the rain got in, your homeowners insurance might cover removing the mold. For example, if a tree branch cracks your window and rain comes into your home, leading to mold growing inside your drywall, your homeowners insurance will most likely cover the damage. However, if you've neglected to maintain your leaky roof and rain gets into your top floor, causing your ceilings to grow mold, your insurance likely won’t cover you since the water damage was gradual and the result of poor maintenance.
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Internal water damage
Whether homeowners insurance covers internal water damage depends on the situation and the source of the damage. If the water damage is sudden and accidental, such as a burst pipe, and comes from inside the home, it is typically covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. This includes sudden leaks from water pipes or plumbing fittings in your sink, shower, tub, or toilet. For example, if a pipe inside an exterior wall freezes during an extreme cold snap and suddenly ruptures as it thaws, filling your home with water, your insurance will likely cover the cost of repairs to your walls and floors.
However, if the water damage is caused by outside flooding, a neglected repair, or lack of maintenance, it is usually not covered by standard homeowners insurance. This includes damage from storms, rising groundwater, a river flooding its banks, or an overflowing downspout. Additionally, standard homeowners insurance typically does not cover water damage from a sewer or drain backup, although this coverage can often be added to your policy for an additional premium.
It is important to note that homeowners insurance does not typically cover the cost of repairing or replacing the source of the water damage, such as a broken dishwasher or washing machine. It usually only covers the cost of repairing the resulting damage to the property, such as damage to floors or personal belongings.
To ensure coverage for flood-related damages, separate flood insurance can be purchased. This type of insurance is available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and can cover buildings, the contents within a building, or both.
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Water damage from outside the home
Water damage that comes from outside the home is typically not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. This type of damage is usually covered by separate flood insurance, which can be obtained through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance is especially important if you live in an area near a large body of water that could potentially overflow, near a steep hill prone to water overflow, or in an area prone to extremely heavy rain.
If you experience water damage from outside your home, it's important to act quickly to minimize the damage and document everything for your insurance claim. Take photos or videos of the damage, the source of the water, and any items that were damaged. If you have pictures from before the incident, they can be useful for showing the extent of the damage. You should also contact your insurance provider as soon as possible to file a claim.
Outside water damage is often caused by clogged or broken pipes, flooding, or overflowing bodies of water. This type of damage is typically not considered accidental and is not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. However, some insurance providers offer water backup endorsements or water seepage coverage for extra protection. It's important to review your policy to determine whether you have adequate coverage for outside water damage.
Water damage from roof leaks may be covered by homeowners insurance if they are caused by a covered peril, such as heavy rain or other natural disasters. It's important to note that most policies won't protect against gradual damage, such as wear and tear. For example, if a leaking pipe has gone unrepaired for several months, resulting in water damage, your homeowners insurance may not cover the cost of repairs.
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Frequently asked questions
Homeowners insurance covers several kinds of common water damage, but not all. If the damage is sudden and accidental, and comes from inside the home, it may be covered.
Water damage covered by homeowners insurance typically includes accidental leaks, such as leaking plumbing or an appliance leak, like a broken washing machine or dishwasher. Burst pipes are also usually covered.
Water damage from a sewer or drain backup is usually not covered on a standard policy. Water damage from flooding is also not covered by standard homeowners insurance.
Flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, the contents of a building, or both. Flood insurance is available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and other providers.
No, homeowners insurance generally does not cover the cost of repairing or replacing the source of the water damage, such as a broken dishwasher or washing machine.
