Does Traditional Home Insurance Have Coverage on Water Damage?

Most household appliances carry water at large quantities such as, dishwashers, water heaters, washing machines and air conditioners. Accidents could happen, and these appliances might release unwanted water in the house. The common culprit is the water heaters. They could get rusty through time and leak. If no one is home for a quick intervention, it might lead to hundreds of dollars worth of damage in your home and other appliances.

Good to know that traditional home insurance plans cover water damage cost of repairs that are due to failure in home appliances as long as there is no evidence that the unit was damaged purposely. If human contact happened and caused the damage it will not be covered by the home insurance policy. Things like it got accidentally knocked over, hit with the hammer, and etc. If the damages were due to natural causes, they will cover it.

They do not cover replacement of the home unit itself but only the water damage repairs are covered by your home insurance. Those who have home warranty should contact their home warranty provider for full coverage on the appliances that were damaged during the leak. The appliances are usually covered in home warranty policies.

How to Prevent Water Damage

Prevention is always better than cure. Preventing water damage on your home whether or not it is covered by your home insurance is very important. Filing claims for your financial loses can not only last longer but also brings frustration and unwarranted stress.

First, consider the location of appliances that carry water on them such as, dishwashers, washing machines, etc. Also your water heater must be positioned where there are no expensive appliances next to it or costly flooring designs. You can ask a plumber to put it elsewhere with accordance to your water pipes. But remember, placing it outside or in the basement can save you much trouble when the time comes that it will breakdown and your home insurance won’t cover it.

Second, proper maintenance is needed. Regular maintenance will prevent appliance failure not only for water heaters but for other electrical devices as well. Weekly inspections on their condition are necessary, checking rust development or leaks. You can make the water line as your guide in looking for leaks and if you found leakage, ask a professional to fix it.

Third, always be prepared. This is what we learned in our scout days, we need to apply them now. Once leaking has started, knowing the location of your main water valve can help you save money and property damage. Shut it off as soon as you can. You can utilize a bucket for the minor spills and call the plumber right away.

Home insurance and other forms of insurance are needed in our unpredictable life. However, there are things that we can do to prevent certain circumstances to make our life a lot easier. Preventing water damage is one of them.