Does homeowners insurance cover rotting wood or rotten floor joists?

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.

Wood rot or floor joist rot is typically not covered by a homeowners insurance policy. But as with most things, there are exceptions to that rule. If the rot occurs as a result of a peril that is covered by your homeowners insurance, you might be in luck.

We’ll cover the situations when rotting wood might be covered by your home insurance.

Does homeowners insurance cover wood rot?

Typically, the only time homeowners insurance covers wood rot is when it is the result of a covered peril and usually that damage is “sudden and accidental.” For example, the accidental discharge or overflow of water from a household appliance is a peril covered by most homeowner policies.

If a pipe bursts and causes water damage to your floor joist, then at the time of the damage you likely could make a claim that will be approved. If instead, it appears that the rot isn’t caused by a certain event but is a result of aging materials and perhaps poor maintenance, you are not likely to get an approved claim.

What if there’s mold? For the mold to be covered, it also would have to be associated with a covered peril, like a burst pipe. Mold caused by water due to condensation, excessive humidity or flooding is typically excluded from coverage provided by a home insurance policy. (See “Mold coverage hard to find in home insurance policies.”)

Will homeowners insurance cover sagging floors and subfloor damage?

Sagging floors are considered a structural issue. They may be caused by a water leak or flooding, but could also be caused by termites, soil settlement or other structural issues. Regardless of the cause, sagging floor joists can be dangerous in a home and need to be resolved.

So, will your homeowners insurance cover saggy floors? As usual with insurance, it depends. If the sagging floors are the result of a covered peril, you’ll likely be covered. Otherwise, you’ll be on your own.

Does home insurance cover dry rot?

If the dry rot was caused by a covered peril and not the result of negligence, the home insurance company will usually cover the claim. However, most commonly, dry rot is the result of a leak or flood incident and then poor ventilation to the area. Many homeowners insurance companies consider dry rot to be a preventable issue.

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?

How to file a successful mold claim

Does homeowners insurance cover tornado damage?

If the roof on my house caves in due to the weight of snow, is this covered by home insurance?

Don't try this at home: Easy ways to mess up your home insurance claims

The basics of sewer backup insurance

Don't get snookered by fake roof damage scams

Can insurance companies enter your house or examine your car?

Does homeowners insurance cover power surges and outages?

Is carpenter ant damage covered by homeowners insurance?

What to do when lightning hits your house

Chain saw massacre: Insurance for downed trees

How your fire department's rating affects your home insurance bill

My husband fell in our home and broke his ankle. Will our homeowners insurance cover this since the accident happened in our home?

My dad passed away and we need to find the homeowners insurance policy. What should we do?

Before you know it, your kitchen is on fire

One of my trees fell into my neighbor's yard last night during a storm. It did not cause any damage. Do I need to call my home insurance company to file a claim?

Is it legal for my home insurance company to drop my coverage after filing claim?

That's gross! Why home insurance won't pay for disgusting problems

We left a faucet turned on in my home and it caused water damage

The trouble with drunk friends

Homeowners premiums fluctuate with community's fire-fighting ability

Home insurance policies cover damage from trees downed by ice and snow

Does home insurance cover structural problems?

Structural problems can be quite complex. Sometimes a structural issue is the result of something like a severe storm that causes flooding or a burst pipe. Other times, the issue may be caused by improper materials used to build the home or even soil settling. If your structural problems are caused by covered perils (and not the result of neglecting to resolve or report an issue), home insurance may step in to save the day.

Penny Gusner

Contributor

Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s.