Home Home insurance Claims We left a faucet turned on in my home and it caused water damage We left a faucet turned on in my home and it caused water damage By Insure.com | Posted on September 27, 2010 Why you should trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria. To insurance companies, “flood” means water that leaks into your home from a nearby lake, stream, river or other body of water. Damage from flooding is not covered under standard home insurance policies. However, water that comes from a leaky dishwasher, a burst pipe or a running faucet doesn’t meet the insurer’s definition of flood, even if the water is knee deep. Damage from these causes should be covered under your home insurance policy. (That’s of course assuming you didn’t leave the faucet on intentionally.) Be careful how you report your water damage claim to your insurance company. Avoid using the word “flood” because in this case it’s inaccurate, by insurance standards, to describe what happened. Telling your insurance agent about a flood in your home will only confuse matters and could lead to a denial of your claim. Explain truthfully what happened. Water damage is one of the most common home insurance claims people make. The issue of water damage and coverage can be tricky, not only because of the confusion over what constitutes a flood but questions about homeowner responsibility in providing necessary upkeep. For instance, a home insurance policy would cover the damages if the temperature dropped below zero and caused a pipe to burst and cover your floor with water. However the insurance company could deny that claim if you had left the house unoccupied and without heat. In that case, the insurer would argue you had failed to take the necessary steps to avoid the accident. To learn more, read about water damage: seven home insurance scenarios. QuickTake Home insurance claims – How to file and what you should know Does homeowners insurance cover water leaks? Can my homeowners insurance get canceled because my house is empty? Guide to the insurance claims history report (CLUE) How much do claims increase home insurance rates? Does homeowners insurance cover storage units? How to protect your home from lightning strikes Does homeowners insurance cover a leaking washing machine? Are pools and hot tubs covered by homeowners insurance? Does homeowners insurance cover mold? 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