Blog Post

Will Homeowners' Insurance Pay for Water Damage Mitigation?

Ryker Bingham |  Oct 04, 2019

As a homeowner, you probably pay your homeowners’ insurance premiums diligently. After all, your home is one of your most valuable possessions, and protecting it is very important to you. Plus, you’re already aware of just how expensive repairs can be if your home is affected by a natural disaster or some other major issue. In exchange for paying your premiums, you expect to be able to count on your homeowners’ insurance to cover you if something bad happens.

If you have found yourself dealing with water damage in your home, you could be wondering how much water damage mitigation is going to cost and whether or not your homeowners’ insurance policy will pay for it. This depends on a few different factors.
Home Insurance

Is Your Homeowners’ Insurance Policy Current?

For your homeowners’ insurance policy to cover any type of claim, your coverage must have been in place at the time that the water damage occurred. If you had a lapse in coverage due to non-payment or any other issue, then you will not be covered. Additionally, your insurance company will not cover any damage that might have occurred to the home before you purchased your insurance policy.

What Caused the Water Damage in Your Home?

The cause of water damage does matter. Typically, water damage is only covered by your homeowners’ insurance if it’s the result of an unexpected, sudden occurrence or an accident. If you had a plumbing pipe burst or an overflow from your washing machine, for example, your policy should cover you.

On the other hand, your insurance company probably will not cover your water damage mitigation costs if the damage happened because of worn-out building materials, neglect or lack of maintenance of your home. For example, although a homeowners’ insurance policy might cover water damage caused by a sudden roof leak, it typically will not cover water damage that is caused by an old, worn-out roof that already needed repair or plumbing pipes that should have been replaced previously.

Do You Have Flood Insurance?

If your home is affected by a flood, your first instinct might be to call your insurance company. Unfortunately, though, many homeowners are left without flood insurance. Many homeowners’ insurance policies do not include flood insurance, and many people never think about buying it separately, particularly if they do not live in a flood zone. 

If your home was impacted by a flood and if you do not have flood insurance, then you will probably be on the hook for your own repairs. For most homeowners, it is a good idea to go ahead and sign up for flood insurance before something like this happens. If your home is affected by a devastating flood, you will be glad that you signed up for this coverage.
Water Damage Repair

What Types of Repairs are Needed?

Even if your homeowners’ insurance company does not deny your claim, all of the damage might not be paid for. If your roof causes a leak, for example, the interior damage in your home might be repaired. Your roof damage, on the other hand, might not be covered.

Mold remediation is often a big part of water damage restoration. After all, mold can destroy building materials and home furnishings, and it can negatively impact indoor air quality. It can even impact you and your family members’ health. If the mold was caused by a covered claim, then mold restoration should be covered. If the mold was caused by a non-covered issue, on the other hand, you will probably have to pay for it yourself.

How Should You File a Claim With Your Insurance Company?

If you are concerned that your insurance coverage will not pay for the water damage mitigation that needs to be done to your home, you might consider not submitting a claim. When you submit a claim, it is counted as an adverse event, even if the insurance does not cover it. When the time comes for your policy to be considered for renewal, you might find that your premiums have gone up. Your water damage specialist at Standard Restoration can help you decide whether to submit a claim or not.

If you do decide to submit a claim, we can help with that, too. The process may vary based on your homeowners’ insurance company, but it’s typically pretty similar from company to company. Typically, we will need to provide details about the damage and the cause of the damage. We will submit pictures and other evidence, too. An insurance adjuster should then come out to your home to take a look at your damage. Then, your insurance company will let you know if it will cover your claim.

Why is Professional Water Damage Mitigation Important?

If your insurance company is going to cover your claim, then it’s worth it to hire a water damage mitigation service. In order to cover the claim, your insurance company might require you to have the work done by a qualified and certified restoration company. In addition, you will want to ensure that the damage is remediated properly to prevent mold or other secondary problems.

If your insurance company is not going to cover the claim, then you might think that you’re better off trying to clean up your home yourself. After all, you might assume this is the best way to keep your out-of-pocket expenses reasonable. 

Overall, though, hiring a professional water damage mitigation service is still the best idea. You may find that it’s cheaper, since a restoration service may be able to preserve and restore more building materials and belongings than you could restore on your own. Plus, water damage mitigation is typically much more time-consuming and difficult than many people realize, and it can even be dangerous. Even if you have to pay out-of-pocket for these services because of your claim being denied, you will probably find that the cost is more than worth it. Most companies will have payment plans available, too.

Hopefully, your insurance company will cover the costs of restoring your home. Whether or not this is the case, you’ll want to work with a professional water restoration service like Standard Restoration. This is your best bet for salvaging your home and belongings while reducing replacement and repair costs. Contact Standard Restoration today for more information and for a consultation for mitigating and restoring water damage in your home.
Share by: