It is important to check the exclusions and limitations of your homeowner’s policy since many occurrences that may seem obvious to cover are not part of the policy. For instance, the typical Homeowners policy (HO-3, Special Form) does not cover water damage caused from outside the home, such as flooding. Water pipe leaks and damages, on the other hand, are covered since they are from inside the home.
Repairing roofs are also often not covered. The “wear and tear” provision of roofs allows the roof to be covered only when the roof is damaged by “accidental direct physical loss,” such as damage caused by a wind storm, hurricane, tornado, etc. The general “wear and tear” of a roof, however, will not be covered.
Although leaks from the foundation of the home may wear and tear, to keep costs low for everyone, most homeowners’ insurance policies do not include water from below the surface, such as the foundation, swimming pool, spa, leaks through a building, wall, filtration and circulation systems , and other structures. By preventing and maintaining the grounds of a home or structure, these situations can be avoided and thus, are not covered.
You may also want to review your policy on water backups from sewers or drains. Most insurance companies do not cover these because they believe that with proper vigilance of slow running drains, they can be prevented from getting clogged and blocked.
It is a good idea to read the exclusions and limitations of your homeowners’ insurance policy, since many instances can be covered by paying an extra fee. Talk to your insurance advisor to discuss the various situations that may call for more attention.
