One of the most confusing situations a homeowner may find themselves in is having a flooded home. Some floods are caused by a leaking water heater, a broken appliance, frozen or burst pipes, or an overflowing pool or sink. These are covered by home insurance, but some situations are not covered. You may need a special coverage from an insurer like Options Insurance Agency in Hershey, PA for flood damage.

When doesn’t a home insurance policy cover flood damage?

The following are situations that your standard home insurer will not cover in case of flood damage:

Rising water from heavy rains or storm

Essentially, any flooding that’s caused by nature is not covered under your home insurance plan. Flood insurance is the only coverage that will protect personal belongings and appliances that are damaged due to floods, but it won’t cover the structure (floors or ceilings). Once you take out a flood plan, you still need to get coverage for protecting your possessions (home insurance).

Damage caused by unresolved maintenance problems

While your homeowner’s coverage will help with the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged possessions, the coverage will not protect you if the damage came from a maintenance issue that you had not resolved. Problems can include a continuous leak near a faucet or any other plumbing fixture.

Water backup from a drain or sewer

You won’t be covered by your homeowner’s policy when water backs up into your house via an outside drain or sewer. However, you can buy an additional water or sewer backup coverage that can help in this kind of event.

Although it’s important always to carry out routine home maintenance to prevent water damage, you need to have flood insurance coverage to protect your possessions in case of floods caused by nature. Contact Options Insurance Agency that serves the Hershey, PA area for more information and a quote.