In the case of insurance coverage, floods and water intrusion are two various things.
On this article, we cowl the distinction between water harm and flood harm.
Each residing factor on earth depends on water to outlive. However the very factor that retains us alive may trigger a number of destruction.
Flood and water harm claims are extraordinarily frequent, affecting tens of 1000’s of Individuals yearly. Fortunately, there are insurance coverage insurance policies that may present a layer of safety in opposition to the prices of water and flood harm.
However, whereas water harm is often lined below your owners insurance coverage coverage, flood harm isn’t. Actually, the insurance coverage trade makes use of totally different definitions for these phrases and totally different insurance policies to cowl every one.
Let’s take a better have a look at the distinction between water harm and flood harm.
Flood Injury Isn’t “Water Injury”
“What do you imply flood harm isn’t water harm? Floods are attributable to water!”
No matter how you outline these phrases, it’s your insurance coverage service that decides what your coverage covers…in addition to what it doesn’t.
Flood Injury Definition
In keeping with the Nationwide Flood Insurance coverage Program (and the insurance coverage trade), a “flood” covers “two or extra acres of usually dry land space or of two extra extra properties” from floor or groundwater.
Water Injury Definition
Water harm, alternatively, is restricted to “sudden and unintentional” loss, comparable to a burst pipe.
The place They Can Overlap
There are occasions when flood and water harm can overlap. For instance, if a hurricane blows rain up below your roof, that will depend as water harm. But when the identical storm causes a storm surge that fills up your first flooring, that’s thought-about flood harm.
Water Backup and Sump Pump Overflow
There may be additionally a 3rd sort of loss: Water Backup and Sump Pump Overflow Protection. This sometimes requires an endorsement to your coverage, because it’s not lined by most traditional home-owner’s insurance coverage.
The large takeaway is straightforward: each flood and water harm are attributable to water, however the place that water comes from is instrumental in deciding which coverage you need to flip to for protection.
Which Kind of Declare Do I Have?
With a lot overlap and confusion concerning water harm vs. flood harm, you might need a tough time figuring out which coverage to show to following loss (or whether or not you’re lined in any respect).
Within the occasion you end up underwater (actually!), listed below are two questions that may enable you type out whether or not that is extra seemingly a flood declare or a water harm declare.
1. What number of properties are affected?
Floods are outlined as occasions that have an effect on two or extra acres or two or extra properties. In case your neighbor can also be underwater, that’s a flood. If yours is the one house affected within the instant space, it could possibly be water harm.
2. The place did the water originate?
If the water originated from plumbing, HVAC programs, or different man-made additions to your private home, that will not be thought-about flood harm.
Flood harm sometimes begins from groundwater—i.e. lakes, rivers, oceans, mudflows, gathered water from rain, or perhaps a busted fireplace hydrant.
It’s price noting that insurance coverage is lots easier on paper than it’s in actual life. There could also be situations the place you’ll have water and flood harm, or neither of those phrases could apply.
For instance, heavy rains may cause both water harm (if the harm began on the roof) or flood harm (if the harm started at floor degree).
Submitting a Flood or Water Injury Declare
We will write about “commonplace” insurance coverage insurance policies all day lengthy, however the one strategy to decide whether or not you’re lined in a selected circumstance is to learn your coverage.
Relying on the sort of house owners insurance coverage you might have, your coverage will listing both the kind of perils it covers or the categories it excludes, in addition to some other exclusions or restrictions.
We perceive insurance coverage insurance policies will be obscure while you weren’t the one who created it. For those who’re bewildered by the barrage of insurance coverage lingo, you’ll be able to at all times have your insurance coverage agent clarify it to you and stroll you thru your protection.
If you need a fast sanity test on the gaps between owners protection, flood protection, and endorsements, attain out and we’ll enable you suppose it by way of.
Holding You Coated
Simply because flood protection isn’t included on an ordinary owners coverage doesn’t make it “non-obligatory” protection. As a house owner, you must ensure you’re protected in opposition to all your house’s vulnerabilities, together with flood and water harm.
But just about nobody is sufficiently protected by an ordinary owners insurance coverage coverage.
At Harry Levine Insurance coverage, we aren’t simply brokers, we’re insurance coverage specialists. We’re very happy to take a seat down and focus on your price range, your targets, and issues that hold you up at evening to create a community of protection that’s good for your loved ones.
From flood insurance coverage to umbrella insurance coverage (and the whole lot in-between), you’ll be able to depend on us for glorious service! Name at this time for a free quote.
