Understanding Water Damage Claims

12/12/2019 (Permalink)

Filing a claim

When your home is your castle, you likely prefer your castle to be dry and smell like home instead of mold and mildew. If water damage in South Oceanside, CA, happens, getting the issue taken care of as quickly as possible can ensure bursting pipes or other sources of water don’t create bigger problems. If there is severe damage, most people expect their homeowner’s insurance to cover the damage.

What Insurance Covers

A typical homeowner’s insurance policy covers sudden, unexpected damage. The source of the damage is often the determining factor if it will be covered. Claims will often be accepted for the following:

• Vandalism
  
• Storm damage caused by rain or snow
  
• Frozen pipes
  
• Faulty plumbing
  
• Accidental overflow of appliances
  
• Water damage incurred during a fire
  
  

In the above cases, water has typically not touched the ground outside. A claim will likely be denied in cases of flooding, which requires additional insurance, or if the problem is a result of neglect, such as improperly maintained pipes. Be sure to thoroughly understand your policy to ensure you know what is and isn’t covered.

Filing a Claim

If bursting pipes or another source that is covered by your insurance causes damage, it’s important to contact your insurer as quickly as possible. They will work with you to determine the best course of action. While you are waiting, take pictures of the affected areas to share with the assessor to expedite the process, and this can also provide evidence that you were not at fault. These pictures also allow you to make a vital temporary repair, such as fix a broken pipe, to keep further damage from happening. While the adjuster is determining the level of damage in comparison to your deductible, call a trusted water cleanup expert to provide a quote.
The process may take a little time, but bursting pipes drenching your home doesn’t have to mean an expensive loss and long-term problems. Taking the right steps at the start can get your home to “Like it never even happened.”