17 October

Homeowners Insurance and Damage Caused by Plumbing

A plumbing disaster like a malfunction or broken pipe can hit you when you least expect it, requiring you to make a call to an emergency plumber in Hamilton. When this happens you want to make sure you can cover the cost of the necessary repairs and damages. But does homeowners insurance cover plumbing repair?

The short answer is yes. However, there are some stipulations when it comes to what kind of repairs are covered. Keep reading to find out what plumbing-related damages are and aren’t covered by homeowners insurance.

What is Homeowners Insurance?

First, let’s start off with understanding what homeowners insurance is. Also referred to as home insurance, it is a type of insurance that covers a private residence for a variety of losses and damages. This includes damage to the house itself, both externally and internally, as well as the loss or damage of personal assets. Additionally, any injuries that may occur on your property that result in legal claims can be covered.

Each and every homeowners insurance policy has a liability limit that determines the amount of financial coverage you will receive and under what circumstances. You will need to check whether or not your homeowners insurance policy covers damage to your home due to issues with your plumbing.

Plumbing Damage That is Covered by Homeowners Insurance

Luckily, your home insurance policy should cover any accidental water damage that has resulted from a plumbing failure. For example, a ruptured water heater or a burst pipe that requires the attention of an emergency plumber in Hamilton would fall within these conditions. There are typically three types of damage caused by plumbing disasters that home insurance will cover. This includes residence coverage, possessions coverage, and additional living expenses (ALE) coverage.

Residence Coverage

Residence or dwelling coverage insures your home’s roof, walls, floorboards, or other parts of its structure if there was any plumbing-related damage. This means that if you have to replace part of your floor, you will be reimbursed for part of the cost depending on your specific policy.

Possessions Coverage

Homeowners insurance also covers your personal property. If any of your possessions, such as furniture, electronics, or clothing are damaged by a plumbing disaster, you will be covered. Keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t often cover specific items that are considered luxuries, like jewelry. Those might only be covered up to a certain amount.

ALE Coverage

This type of coverage provides reimbursements for any living expenses should you be displaced from your home due to a sudden plumbing emergency. This includes the cost of a hotel, travel, or food.

Plumbing Failures That Are Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance

While homeowners insurance typically covers any sudden or unexpected water damage that requires the help of an emergency plumber in Hamilton, there are some aspects of plumbing repair that are not covered.

The following are some riders that may be excluded from your standard home insurance policy. However, you will likely have the option to add additional riders that are considered “optional”. Speak with your insurance provider to find out what riders they offer!

Lack of Maintenance

Unfortunately, the water damage that occurs as a result of a slow leak or normal wear and tear is typically not covered by home insurance. For example, a minor leak might not lead you to believe that you require the help of an emergency plumber in Hamilton, so you leave it for a few weeks since it’s only a small amount of water. However, if that leak leads to extensive damage to your home, your claim will likely be rejected since you could have solved the problem sooner with responsible maintenance.

Understandably, you may not even realize that you have a minor leak as they can sometimes be hard to spot. So, in order to avoid being in this position, it’s important to have your drains cleaned on a regular basis. There are a lot of drain cleaning myths out there, so the best way to ensure your drains are cleaned properly and effective is by using professional drain cleaning services.

Damage Caused by Flooding

Flood damage is typically excluded from home insurance policies. This means that any damage as a result of flooding caused by a malfunctioning pipe, broken utilities, or heavy rain among other weather-related instances is not covered.

That being said, you can add damage caused by flooding to your homeowners insurance policy as an optional rider. That’s if your insurer is a part of the National Flood Insurance Policy (NFIP) and your home is deemed to be at risk of flooding.

Damage Caused by Mould

Any damage to your home caused by mould is not included in most homeowners insurance policies. The most common cause of mould growth in residential homes is due to high humidity levels, condensation, and water leaks. Similar to flooding damage, mould damage coverage can be added to your policy as an optional rider.

Emergency Plumber Hamilton

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you require emergency plumbing services, PlumbWize is here to help! We ahttps://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/homeowners-insurance.aspre the first line of defence against sewage backups, clogged drains, infiltrating tree roots, and more.

Additionally, we offer drain cleaning services so that you can ensure that you are never put in a position where you won’t be granted your plumbing repair claim with homeowners insurance.

Contact us today!

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