Water Damage describes any loss to property caused by an intrusion of water where the systems or the materials can be temporarily or permanently affected. It can be slow and unnoticeable or it can be sudden and catastrophic, like the flooding in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
There are many causes for damage of this sort: broken pipes, backed up sewage, foundation cracks, overflow drainage from household appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines, and storms.
It is often categorized into three groups according to the contamination present in the water and the threat to public health it poses. The first group is Category 1 in which the water is clean and does not represent a threat to human health. Category 2 is when the water is called gray water and does have significant levels of contaminants present in the water such as urine in overflowing toilet water. Category 3 is black water, grossly contaminated water, which poses an immediate health hazard. An example of this would be backed up sewage.
It can also lead to long term health problems such as illnesses caused by mold ranging from chronic coughing, migraines, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.
Water damages claims are the largest group of claims filed by homeowners. Then they discover what the insurance companies will and will not pay.
Proper maintenance of the plumbing system and other water drainage systems in your home can make the difference on whether or not your claim gets settled or rejected. For example, the pipes in your house freeze during a cold spell and burst. You are covered for the damage but not the replacement costs for the pipes. However, most insurers will not pay the claim if you left the house unoccupied and unheated and then the pipes froze. You were negligent and therefore must pay for both pipes and the damage.
When dealing with the insurance company, it is very important to describe exactly what happened in the most truthful manner. What is said at the beginning of the claim process can affect the outcome of your claim. Remember that the insurance company has a very narrowly defined meaning of what a flood is. To the adjuster, a flood means an overflow of water from an outside source such as a river, lake or stream. If the pipes burst in your basement, then what happened was not a flood. Neither is sewer backup or seepage from a septic tank, which is considered a fault of poor maintenance.
When water damage happens in your home, move all belongings away from the affected area as soon as possible. Use a video camera to document what has happened. Contact your adjuster but this is where it gets difficult. Some financial advisers caution against filing a claim if the amount is under $1000. Some homeowners have actually lost their coverage simply because they phoned their insurer to see if they could make a claim. Once your home has been blacklisted by insurers, it is extremely difficult to sell it in the future.
Insurers put these properties in a central database called Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange and other insurers can access this information too. Some companies are so nervous about water damage claims that even a single claim of this type is enough to be refused further coverage. Loss of coverage can make it extremely difficult for homeowners to be able to sell their homes in the future.
If the claim amount is under $1000, it is recommended not to contact the insurance company. Clean up is still a top priority since mold can set in as early as 24 hours after the water damage has occurred. Water damage cleaning companies specialize in this type of damage and they are usually available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Keep all receipts, keep your fingers crossed, read your policy thoroughly and then contact your agent.
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Tags: home improvement, home repairs, water damage, water damage restoration