Is Water Damage Covered by Insurance?

Water damage in your apartment or home could cause a huge headache. Water damage commonly occurs – especially in Canada – due to extreme weather. Anything from burst pipes, heating and ventilating issues, malfunctioning household appliances, or other weather-related triggers could be the source of water damage in your home. At Matrix Remediation, we understand the frustration and obstacles that homeowners or tenants can face when dealing with water damage in their living space. The good news is that in some cases, insurance policies will cover remediation of water damage. Here’s what you need to be aware of when it comes to insurance coverage on water damage.

If you’d like to make an insurance claim on your water damage remediation, the first thing that you will need to do is to differentiate between flood and water damage. Flood typically involves external water entering your living spaces. This includes, but not limited to mudflow, tidal waters, collapse of land along the shores, heavy rains, and overflowing river. Flood damages is covered by flood insurance policies. These types of policies are typically not included in standard home insurance policies. They need to be purchased in addition to regular home insurance policies. Water damage involves water entering your living space before leaking outside of your home, and is usually covered by standard insurance policies . An example would be burst pipes, leaking roof, and faulty water pumps. Since the differences between flood and water damage is often hard to analyze, it is best to contact your insurance provider as soon as the incident occurs.

Although insurance usually covers water damage, it is always important to read the fine print. If the water damage is from unresolved maintenance issues such as leaking pipes or old faucets, it’s typically not covered. Furthermore, your standard insurance may or may not cover water damage from water backs-up through your sewer or drain from overflowing toilet bowls or floor drains. The potential reason is that the source of water is off-premises or because overwhelming usage of the drain system is the actual root of the water damage. After identifying the sources and contacting your insurance provider, you may need to wait for them to send someone to inspect your home further. This is the time to prevent further water damage to your living space: drain all of the water out of your living space, and dry all wet surfaces.

Mold infestation is closely related to water damage, and could pose a serious health hazard. If the water damage is your house has happened repeatedly or overtime, it is recommended to check for any mold spots. Similarly, mold infestation may or may not be covered by your home insurance, depending on the sources of the water damage. Lastly, your insurance is most likely to cover only the results of the water damage; they will usually not cover the costs to fix the sources of the problem such as broken air conditioning or pipes. Also, a deductible may apply in some scenarios .

Water damage is definitely one of the most common and frustrating invasions to your living space. It is always best to review and be familiar to the conditions to the water damage coverage offered in your home insurance policy. Usually, small additions to the premium could help you fully cover all possible water damage, and flooding policies can enhance your coverage. If you are in need of a certified staff to help you restore your home after water damage, then you’ve come to the right place. At Matrix Remediation, we understand your situation completely and we will help you overcome water damage with our expertise so you can be at ease in your home.