Water Damage Insurance Coverage
Water damage to your home can lead to a soggy and stressful cleanup. The cost to clean up water damage can be just as stressful as the cleanup. This is why reviewing your home water damage insurance coverage is extremely important.
Pride Cleaning & Restoration receives calls from customers with finished basements that have been flooded all the time and many either don’t have water backup coverage or their insurance policy only covers up to $5,000. Water damage to a finished basement can cost $20,000 or more to repair. Most insurance companies cover water damage, but coverages vary depending on your policy. Water backup coverage is typically optional protection that can be added to a homeowners insurance policy. This can help cover damage in a home caused by backed up drains or broken sump pumps.
Water Backup Insurance Coverage Included?
Standard homeowners insurance policies such as Allstate and Nationwide do not include the water backup coverage by default. This coverage is an optional endorsement that can be added onto a standard homeowners insurance policies. Without this coverage, you’re stuck paying for the cleanup or damage costs caused by sump pumps or similar equipment failure. Water backup coverage is fairly inexpensive, typically $50 to $250 annually (depending on the carrier). This will depend on your risk exposure and what you need to be covered. Speak with your insurance agent to figure out what would be best for you.
Preventing Water Backups
Here are some ways you can prevent water backups in your home:
- Avoid pouring grease or oil down your drains.
- Only flush toilet paper down the toilet (Avoid paper towels and feminine products).
- Replace old sewage lines with plastic pipes so tree roots cause backups.
- Call professionals to check your sump pump regularly and check for pre-existing drainage issues.
- Install a water backup prevention valve.
- Buy a battery backup to keep your sump pump running when the power goes out.
Before you deal with a flooded basement and the bill for damage and cleanup, contact your insurance company and speak with them about what is included in your homeowners policy. Make sure you are covered and take precautions to protect your home from water damage.
If you have experienced flooding in your home and have water damage, call Pride Cleaning & Restoration at (314) 668-1223 or 618-288-2828 anytime 24/7! Learn more about water damage on our website.
