A flooded basement may have numerous causes and it is vital that you look at these reasons to figure out when your insurance policy is going to be effective in covering damage. Even though every insurance policy differs, the majority will have around the same options of coverage for standard homeowners policies, called HO-3 policies.

For more inquiries about homeowners insurance service, contact Steely & Smith Insurance right away at (215) 345-9410.

Burst pipes

If the basement floods due to pipes bursting during a freeze, the resulting destruction will likely be covered by the policy. This also holds true if the broken pipe is from an appliance or sprinkler system. But there are some caveats to remember. You must be living inside the house and maintaining it at a reasonable minimum temperature for the claim to be qualified. Plus, if your insurance provider finds that you haven’t kept up with maintenance on the pipes, the claim might be denied. Generally, the resulting damage from a burst pipe is going to be covered; however, not the price to repair or replace the pipe itself. That’s considered a maintenance expense.

Broken appliance

Let us say the water heater experiences a leak and you do not find the damage until hours later. Again, you’d usually be covered unless your heater turns out to be badly maintained and cared for. There might even be questions about the coverage if the heater is extremely old and its age is what caused it to break. The same holds true for a refrigerator, washer, or additional basement appliances. It’ll pay to practice preventative maintenance by ensuring that all appliances are kept clean and working properly.

Localized overflow

If the basement flood is the result of a basement structure that overflows, such as a tub, sink, or additional water containment vessel, you’ll probably be covered so long as the overflow was an abrupt accident. But if your insurance provider is able to show that the flood resulted from an ongoing problem with maintenance, your claim might be denied. For instance, if the toilet constantly overflows due to a blockage that you have not repaired, you might not get a payout.

Still have questions? Please get in touch with Steely & Smith Insurance anytime! Our homeowners insurance will help during times of need. Please feel free to contact us today if you live in the Doylestown, PA area at (215) 345-9410.