The big question for you as a homeowner to ask yourself is whether or not you’re fully covered by your homeowners’ insurance policy. It is all too easy to rely on your insurance company to handle everything when it comes to a major event, but in reality, you want to make sure that you’re prepared. For example, if you are affected by a flood or hurricane and cannot get into your home because of damage, will your insurance cover the costs of staying elsewhere? Or, if your property needs to be rebuilt after a fire destroys it completely, are you sure that the cost of rebuilding will all be covered by your homeowners’ insurance? The purpose of this post is to answer these questions and more.
If your home has been damaged by water, you may be wondering how much it is going to cost and whether or not your homeowners insurance will cover it. This depends on several factors.
Is Your Homeowners’ Insurance Policy Current?
If you have an insurance policy that has been in place, then you are covered. However, if there is 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 policy.
What Caused the Water Damage in Your Home?
Your typical homeowner’s insurance policy will cover water damage caused by pipe breaks or floods. But if you broke something that the manufacturer’s warranty covers and accidentally dropped it into water, your coverage is probably limited or nonexistent. Plus, you may be responsible for any costs related to the loss—like travel expenses for a plumber or even replacement parts for broken equipment.
Your policy probably will not cover mitigation costs if the damage happened because of worn-out building materials, neglect or lack of maintenance. 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?
Flood insurance is still available to those who live in the right areas, but it’s not as cheap or easy to get as other types of homeowners’ insurance. Flooding happens often in some areas, so research whether your property faces a risk of flooding before deciding whether or not you need to arrange flood insurance.
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. However, if you do have flood insurance plans in place, then you can go ahead and take advantage of the claim process so that your home can get back to normal as soon as possible. If your home is affected by a devastating flood, you will be glad that you signed up for this coverage.
What Types of Repairs are Needed?
Even if your homeowners’ insurance company doesn’t deny your claim, they might not pay for all damage. If your roof causes a leak, for example, the interior damage in your home might be repaired plus any mold caused by that leak. Your roof damage, on the other hand, might not be covered because a leak is not normal wear and tear.
After a flood or other water damage incident, mold can grow in and on your home’s walls, flooring, and furniture. It can also grow inside of belongings such as clothing, shoes, and paper products. The main goal of mold remediation is to prevent the damaged material from further deteriorating and causing further harm. 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?
When you submit an insurance claim for a water damage event, it is counted as an adverse event. This means that your insurance company will view the damage as being relatively significant, even if it might not be for you. 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 Superior Contents 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. You will need to provide details about the damage and the cause of the damage. We will submit pictures and other evidence as well. An adjuster should come out to your home to take a look at your damage as well. Then, we 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. The cost of the damage may be covered through your homeowner’s insurance policy. However, if there are other damages that have occurred, such as mold or mildew and other secondary costs, this can add up quickly. In order to cover the claim and make sure it is done properly, you will want to ensure that the damage is remediated properly by certified professionals.
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. While doing so should help you keep from losing property and saving your memories, it’s nearly impossible to do a complete job on water damage and mold removal.
Overall, though, hiring a professional water damage mitigation service is still the best idea. Although 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, there are other benefits as well. Water damage mitigation is typically much more time-consuming and difficult than many people realize, and it can even be dangerous – the last thing you want to do while trying to deal with your loss is make things worse by putting yourself at risk. Plus, having to pay out-of-pocket for these services because of your claim being denied may end up being more than worth it – most companies will have payment plans available.
Your insurance company may be responsible for paying for restoring your home and its contents, but it’s unlikely that they would know who to call in the event of a flood. This is where Superior Contents steps in. We understand that you want to eliminate any further damage and loss of valuables as quickly as possible. You can also rest assured in knowing that we use top-of-the-line equipment and state-of-the-art processes to mitigate the effects of floodwater inundation. Give us a call today (206) 502-7002 for more information or to schedule an appointment for mitigation and restoration services.
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