July 3, 2019
Is all homeowners insurance the same? Unfortunately not. The insurance coverage that you get ultimately depends on what you want to pay for, and what you think your priorities are. Although you’d think of getting insurance for fire damage, break-ins, or any other misfortune that could visit your home, you probably doubt that water damage could be a problem. Sadly, that is nothing but a misconception.
Most of the time, homeowners choose the most basic policy that they can in the name of saving as much money as they can. The cheapest insurance policies will only end up costing you more in the long run. That’s because there are some surprises that the homeowner will only learn about after the need to lean on the carrier to help with the cost of restoration after a flood or fire ravages their home.
The water damage that is covered only relates to domestic water. In this case, domestic water has to do with the water sourced from your fresh water supply – it can come from a well, or a municipal water system provided to the public by the town or county that you live in; unfortunately, this means that surface water is often not covered under these policies.
For surface water to be covered, you will need to attach a rider to your existing policy. Surface water refers to the types of water that can get into your home from the outside. Rainwater, stream water, river water, and water backups from a nearby sewer all count as different types of surface water. Septic tank backups also count as surface water. Other than that, any other situation where you have to deal with water infiltration is also classified as surface water.
Two standard policy riders can be attached to your home insurance policies. When it comes to water damage, you want to be as protected as possible, which is why it’s worth to have these riders accounted for as soon as you can. Add one for sump pumps and sewer backups – although different companies will call them by different names, you should be able to find this additional coverage relatively easily. You will need to pay about $200 more, but it is well worth the extra cost.
You’ll also need to pay for flood insurance. This is often a separate policy, but you need to have it, especially if you live near any bodies of water. That’s because water damage from flooding is nothing to take lightly. Rivers, streams, bays, and oceans can all rise, causing flooding. Availability depends on where you live, and the costs associated with it will differ accordingly. Talk to your insurance agent about changing the coverage that you have. In the meantime, if you run into an emergency that has to do with fire, water, smoke, or flooding, then we are here to help you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
If you need your carpets, furniture, drapery, mattresses, tile & grout, and air ducts cleaned, look no further than Hydro Clean Certified Restoration. We’re located in Arbutus, but we’re happy to serve customers in Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Harford County, and Carroll County. We can also handle emergency fire, smoke, and water damage 24 hours/7 days weekly. Your upholstery, air ducts, and draperies are in good hands with us. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn! You can also call us if you have any questions at – 410-505-7879.
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