Home Basement Flooding: Will Your Insurance Pay?

2/14/2020 (Permalink)

Flooded basement in Kansas City, MO

Basement flooding is among the top reasons for homeowner’s insurance claims. If you’ve discovered a basement flood in your Kansas City, MO, home, you suddenly have a long list of tasks to take care of to protect your property. It may help to understand whether you can expect insurance to pay for your damages.
Water damage is handled through two separate insurance sectors, depending on the source of the water. Many common causes of home flooding fall under the umbrella of your homeowner’s insurance, but there are exceptions.

Homeowner’s Insurance and Water Damage

Your conventional insurance will generally cover a portion of the water cleanup and restoration costs for a basement flood, as long as the water didn’t enter from outside the home, such as with rising floodwaters. These are among the scenarios that would likely be covered:

• Broken or leaking water pipe
  
• Leaking appliances, such as a washing machine or ice maker
  
• Stormwater leaking through a damaged roof
  
• Overflowing toilet
  
• Overflowing bathtub or shower
  
  

It’s important to report the damage with your insurance agent right away if your basement has flooded. If your damage was caused by external water entering your home, you will need to look beyond your conventional policy.

Government Flood Insurance

A flood is defined as a temporary condition where usually dry land is inundated with water or mud. If your basement flood was caused by floodwater entering your home from ground level or below, a special government flood insurance policy would be required for coverage. Flood insurance is issued by the US Government, but your agent can help you purchase it or file a claim. If you are considering flood insurance, it may be useful to determine your level of flood risk. Your agent can refer you to an expert who can help assess your risk.
Researching insurance coverage options and finding out your flood risk level are important steps in food preparedness. If you experience water damage, it's a stressful time, and knowing which insurance entity to approach will move you one step closer to returning your home and your peace of mind to normalcy.