When a home is damaged by water, it can cause all sorts of problems. Not only can the water itself lead to issues with the electrical system in the home, a number of other issues can arise when the water isn’t removed in the right way.
For example, water sitting in the walls could lead to mold and mildew. Over time, this presents a real risk for the structural integrity and might just lead to expensive repairs. With this in mind, it’s best to contact the insurance company, make your claim, and get the repairs done by a professional as soon as possible.
While we can’t help you with the third step, we can provide advice for claiming and dealing with insurance companies!
Causes of Water Damage
In truth, there are a number of ways your home can get damaged by water. This includes;
- Faulty appliances
- Clogs in the toilet or sewer
- Storm damage
- Hurricanes
- Roof leaks
- Damaged pipes
- Flooding
- Cracked foundations
- Broken windows
In fact, some cases we’ve handled in the past were a result of extinguishing a fire. Sadly, the home owners in these cases have to bring their home back to life after both fire and water damage.
Potential Damage
Why is water so problematic? Why do some professionals say that repairing rooms after a fire can be easier than repairing a room with water damage? When water enters the home in large amounts, the following can occur;
- Damage to appliances
- Structural issues
- Mildew
- Mold
- Damaged furniture and belongings
- Discoloration on ceilings, walls, carpets, and more
- Infestation of termites and bugs
- Weakened foundations
If the repairs aren’t done correctly, as we said previously, the home could be in real danger. The longer water is left untreated, the more problematic it becomes.
Policy Coverage
Before anything, you’ll need to check your policy coverage. Since all policies and insurance providers seem to be unique these days, there’s no universal list to say what is and isn’t covered. For the most part, the majority of causes in the list above will be covered. However, there will be some exceptions.
As one example, many providers will avoid including flood damage in their coverage. Instead, they will offer a separate flood insurance policy. Why is this the case? For one thing, there’s a significant portion of the country who aren’t concerned about flooding. Since they don’t live near a large body of water or they live a long way above sea level, flooding is never going to be a problem. Rather than including flooding coverage (thus increasing the price of premiums for those who don’t even need it), they choose to offer it in a separate policy.
If you’re unsure whether your provider will pay up, read your policy documents.
Filing a Claim
Assuming you’re covered for your water damage, the next step is to file a claim. Once you’re back in your home, there are two things you should do before anything else;
- Take photographs of your home
- Make temporary repairs that will prevent further damage
If you need to pay for anything before the insurance company pays, keep the receipts as evidence. From here, you can contact the insurance company and file the claim.
Encountering Problems
Sadly, some people are denied with their claim and others are left disappointed with the estimate from the adjuster. If you encounter this same problem, we urge you to get in touch with the fantastic team here at Cannella Legal.
We can help you challenge the settlement offer or denial, and we’ll protect your interests so you can get back to some form of normality after experiencing water damage!