Water Damage vs. Flood Damage: Know the Difference

Water damage may not be the same as flood damage in the eyes of your insurance company. While your home may be filled with water, your insurance coverage may depend upon how the water got into your home in the first place. Homeowners insurance policies and flood insurance policies both deal with water damage, however, losses that are not covered by one, might be covered by the other policy.

You may decide to purchase one or both types of insurance policies, once you become familiar with the losses you may be facing should water enter your home. A flood insurance policy provides coverage for damage incurred as a result of a flood. Examples of flood damage that may be covered under a flood policy include:

• River overflow that washes into the home

• Rain that seeps into the home because soil is unable to absorb it

• Flash floods or heavy rains that cause hills to collapse behind the home, causing mud slides to ooze into the home

Flood damage is only covered by a flood insurance policy, and not a homeowner’s insurance policy. If you live in a flood plain, talk to your insurance agent about buying a flood insurance policy.

While a homeowner’s policy does not provide flood damage coverage, it does cover certain types of water damage. Contrary to the coverage provide by a flood insurance policy, homeowner’s insurance covers damage that occurs before water has made contact with the ground. Examples of reimbursable damages through your homeowner’s insurance include:

• Hail damage to your windows that caused rain to get into your home

• Rain that leaked through your roof that caused water to damage your ceiling or attic

• Broken water pipes that caused water to spray into your home

To learn more about the differences between flood insurance and homeowner’s insurance, and to decide which coverage you may need to protect your home, contact us anytime.