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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?

Water damage is one of the main concerns for many families within the United States. It is estimated that 14,000 people experience it each day, and 98% of all basements suffer from water damage within their entire lifespan. Water damage isn’t a pleasant situation to deal with, and insurance companies don’t make it much easier to help claim your money when the inevitable strikes. Homeowners insurance typically protects damage to property and belongings, as well as coverage for loss of use, financial losses caused by weather. And more protections regarding personal property, and liability protection.

If the water damage has affected your housing structures, and appliances such as washing machines, flooring, ceiling, you should be reimbursed for the repairs needed. However, it is important to note that most homeowners insurances do not cover the source of the leakage. Such as damaged pipes, or faulty sinks. In that case, your insurance will cover and pay for the repair or replacement of your structures and/or appliances only.

What it covers

Housing structures and home appliances that aren’t the source of the damage
Sudden or accidental water damages
Dwelling coverage, to insure the structure of your home

Property coverage, to cover your personal property, which are items you own, such as tables, chairs, electronics, clothing, and more. This means that you can be assured that your furniture and appliances are covered when there is water damage in your household.

What it doesn’t cover

Source of damage
Damage from unresolved maintenance, such as leaking pipes, or plumbing issues that have been continuously leaking.
Floods/Natural disasters. However, it is possible to purchase flood insurance separately.

Your homeowners insurance covers and will reimburse your to repair most of your items that have been affected by the water damage, but still ensure that you’ve read the fine print, and research about your policy if it covers water damage.

We recently had a busted pipe in our bathroom while at work, and we had major water damage. Servicemaster was there within a couple hours or our problem to start the process of drying out the house. Derek and his crew were very friendly and helpful in explaining and walking us thru the whole process from beginning to end. If we ever have another emergency like this Servicemaster will be the only people we call!

My insurance agent gave me a list of numbers and Service Master respond to my call within a couple of hours and had someone at my house started on my flooded basement by midmorning. Everyone I spoke with throughout the process was professional and knew what they were doing.

Highly recommend this company! Tuesday afternoon, I came home on my lunch break and stepped into ankle deep water thanks to our water heater busting. We have a one story house on a slab and every single room in the house was flooded. Within a couple hours we had someone from ServiceMaster come out to our house to take a look and he was very nice. He left with the promise that he was going to get his guys out that night to start the cleanup process and he made good on that promise. Within 20-30 minutes of leaving our house, he called to let us know when his guys would be coming. They moved all of our stuff and hooked up so much equipment to help dry our house. I am grateful to these employees for how long they stayed at our house in order to get everything done. Thanks to the quick response on their part, our baseboards and drywall were saved. Thank you for making this terrible situation not so terrible!

How Does Water Damage Happen?

Water damage can spread throughout your house for a variety of reasons such as:

Damaged Pipes

Pipes bursts are one of the leading causes of water damages in households. This is due to the change in water pressure. Experts have advised that to avoid this, we should frequently check-up and inspect the pipes throughout our house, just in case we spot signs of leakage.

If you do run into a situation where you have found a leaking pipe, the best way to get it fixed would be to hire a professional, as letting it leak, could lead to excessive water damage.

Plumping Problems

There are several common plumbing-related problems that could cause water damage. Such as dripping faucets, and slow draining sinks. Other sources include clogged bath/drain, clogged toilets, faulty water heaters, low water pressure, jammed garbage disposals, leaky pipes, and sewer system backups, could all lead to water damages.

To fix these situations:

For slow draining sinks, clean out the pop-up that collects unnecessary debris.
For running toilets, you should fix the parts that have been damaged, such as the valve, or flapper.
For jammed garbage disposals, utilize an Allen wrench to unjam the garbage disposal, insert it at the bottom of the disposal, use the wrench to turn it in both directions, to free the motor.
For clogged baths/drains, clear the blockage using a plunger. You should also use liquids such as baking soda or vinegar to dissolve the clog.
For the rest of the situations, it would be best to contact a professional in your area, to inspect and repair your plumbing issues.

Spoilt Appliances

This is due to the fact that appliances around us, wear out over time, and as that happens, the pipes will slowly rust, crack and weaken. Such appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and more, should all be checked on frequently and be replaced, or repaired whenever there has been a spotted cracked or weak pipe.

How Long Does Water Damage Take To Show?

Water damages show immediately, and once its seen, action needs to be taken immediately. Such as calling the repairman, to ensure that it doesn’t further leak.

How Can You Prove Water Damage?

Evidence is the most prominent factor that comes into play when trying to file a claim, so be sure that you’ve clarified what will be needed, and ensure you attain all of the required evidence.

To prove to your insurance provider of the water damage, you should ensure all of the following have been obtained before contacting them:

Paperwork: From the police, and fire department
Pumber’s reports
Any scientific moisture, atmospheric, dehumidifier readings.
Pictures of the affected area.
Note, in detail the damaged items.

Gather as much evidence as possible, to prove the damage that has been done, to help your claim.

How Do I Deal With Insurance After Water Damage?

First, call your insurance company, when you have the time to do so. As insurance companies may deny your claim after a certain period of time. After, you’ll have to schedule a meeting with an insurance adjuster, who will be investigating your claim. They will be paying a visit to your home to further inspect the damage and determine the cause of the damage. They may interview you, or the homeowner, and additional research may also be collected. Finally you should be able to talk with the insurance company about your claim pay out and how much that will be and when it will be sent to you.

How Bad Is Water Damage?

Water damage by itself, even if settled quickly, can still result in immense damages. If the correct repairs and replacement steps were properly executed, the damages can be minimized and give the homeowners an easier time cleaning up. Otherwise, leaving water damages untouched for extended periods of time, could lead to detrimental home damages and unwanted health risks.

For example – if you had a leak – within a few minutes, the water will start spreading throughout your property. The best way to avoid having your belongings from being drenched, is to stack them on top of counters and cabinets away from the leak.

Within a day, if you haven’t taken action yet, your drywall will be wet, and moist, making it slowly deteriorate. At this point, repairs should start to commence already.

Within a week, if you haven’t taken any action, the water damage will cause severe damages to your property and cause health hazards to all the occupants. Within a week, the cleaning and repairing process should have already ended, to ensure your and everyone’s safety.

Once you’ve gained knowledge of water damage, you should immediately call ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services and take the necessary steps to prevent any further damage to your property.

Contact Our Water Damage Experts In Lexington, Today!

We understand that water damage isn’t an easy task to go through, and we here at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services have gone and been through a variety of unforeseen situations alongside homeowners. Our experts offer services to help assist you, such as repairing appliance leaks, roof failures, flooded basements, and many more situations homeowners find themselves in. Do not hesitate – call us today.

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Who We Are

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services is dedicated to providing residents and businesses in central Kentucky with outstanding service at a time when things are upside down. We have been in this field since 1929, and we understand what it’s like to go through a major disaster. Let us help you get your life back to normal.

What We Do

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services provides disaster relief services. Our experienced team is always at the ready, and we work quickly and efficiently to make sure your home or business is cleaned up properly. We use our expertise to troubleshoot problems and do a clean up that is thorough and professional. Contact us for help when you need it! We’ll take good care of you.

Location

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration Services
1034 Nandino Blvd
Lexington, KY 40511

Phone

(859) 309-9964

Email

d.collier@svmfireandwater.com