Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?

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Homeowners insurance covers water damage, but only in specific circumstances. Homeowners insurance won’t pay out for water damage due to poor maintenance, wear and tear or negligence.

However, water damage from faulty plumbing or ruptured pipes are usually covered. Damage that happened as a result of weather damage will also be covered. For example, if a storm damages your roof and water leaks in, the damage is covered.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover damage from floods, however; you need a separate flood insurance policy for that.

Key Takeaways

Home insurance does not cover damage from normal wear and tear, but it does cover leaks from sudden events, like a ruptured appliance hose.
A standard home policy also does not cover overland flooding, but does cover water entering your home from above, such as rain leaking in when a storm damages your roof.
Prevent water damage by periodically checking behind appliances and under sinks to ensure everything is dry.

When does homeowners insurance cover water damage?

Not all water damage is covered by homeowners insurance. Water damage that is covered includes:

Burst pipes
Frozen pipes
Faulty plumbing
Faulty appliances, like washing machines and dishwashers
Leaks through a roof that was damaged by a covered peril

Remember that homeowners insurance will not pay to replace the faulty appliance that caused the damage. For example, while home insurance may cover the water damage to the ceiling, floor, walls or furniture, it won’t pay for replacing the burst pipe or the broken washing machine.

Additionally, before the insurance company pays out, they will want to see that you’ve regularly maintained your house and that none of the damage is caused due to neglect. And, that as soon as the damage happened, you took steps to fix it.

“What’s really important to know for leaks is when did the insured notice it and take action,” says Christine G. Barlow, a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and managing editor of National Underwriter and FC&S Online, which interprets insurance policies for the industry.

What types of water damage aren’t covered by homeowners insurance?

Unfortunately, not all water damage is covered by homeowners insurance. If the cause of the water damage is gradual, or if the damage happened over time and because of deterioration, you likely won’t get a payout. Most of the time, you won’t get a payout for water damage that happened due to one of these reasons:

Leaks due to neglect or poor maintenance
Flooding
Clogged pipes
Sewer line backups

There are, however, some rare policies that cover gradual damage. Also, if you can prove that the gradual damage wasn’t caused by neglect and that you were unable to see it happening to stop it, you may be able to get money for the damage from your homeowners insurance company.

What to do if you experience water damage

By taking these steps, you will be more likely to receive a claim payout from your homeowners insurance company:

Document everything, from the initial damage to any additional damage you find
Try to repair and control the damage
Contact a contractor to evaluate the damage and determine the cost of the repairs

Additionally, you should also regularly maintain your home throughout the year to demonstrate that any damage is not due to neglect and keep all of your receipts. You’ll also want to carefully check your policy details before conducting repairs to determine what is covered.

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How to prevent water damage

Will Southcombe, director of standards and performance at PuroClean, a property damage restoration service, suggests ensuring all holes are properly caulked and sealed and keeping eaves and downspouts clean. He recommends periodically checking behind appliances and under sinks to make sure everything is dry. That means moving out the stuff under the kitchen sink for several years.

Note: Be careful when pulling out the refrigerator to check for a leak in the icemaker water line and avoid running over the water line or crimping a copper line.

Southcombe also suggests replacing rubber supply hoses to appliances with braided hoses, which are made of rubber surrounded by wire mesh. Braided hoses can still spring a leak, but they won’t burst.

“So you have a nuisance on your hands instead of a catastrophe,” he says.

Generally, you should replace water supply hoses on appliances every five to seven years.

Understanding your homeowners insurance policy’s coverage for water damage can save you from unexpected costs and stress. Always review your policy and consider additional coverage if needed, to ensure you and your home are fully protected against water damage.

Frequently asked questions

Does home insurance cover ceiling damage due to leaks?

Sometimes. Whether or not homeowners insurance covers ceiling damage from leaks depends on what caused the damage in the first place. The ceiling damage will only be covered if the cause is included in your homeowners insurance policy.

Does home insurance cover plumbing leaks?

Homeowners insurance only covers plumbing leaks if the leak happened suddenly or was an accident. Any plumbing leaks caused due to neglect will not be covered by homeowners insurance.

Does homeowners insurance cover window leaks?

Most homeowners insurance will pay for the damage caused by the window leaks, but will not pay to replace the windows themselves. A leaking window is not covered because homeowners insurance companies view it as a defect that happened gradually and should have been maintained or repaired.

Does homeowners insurance cover hidden water damage?

In some cases, if you can prove the hidden damage was not due to neglect, your homeowners insurance policy may cover it.

Nupur Gambhir

Managing Editor

Nupur Gambhir is an insurance expert and managing editor of Insure.com. She specializes in life and health insurance content, and has experience as a marketing consultant.