Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?

You walk into your basement, only to discover that a broken pipe has flooded the space. Or, you discover an ice dam formed on your roof and water is leaking down into your home. Water damage can be an expensive fix. Will homeowners insurance cover water damage? The answer depends on your coverage and the specific situation.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?

Yes, most standard homeowners insurance policies will help cover water damage that occurs in your home, as long as that damage occurred suddenly and unexpectedly. There are two types of coverage that may help cover the damage.

Dwelling coverage helps pay for damage to your home’s structure that’s caused by a covered peril, like a broken pipe.
Personal property coverage helps pay for your belongings which are damaged by a covered peril. For example, if a burst pipe floods your home and damages your appliances, your personal property coverage could help pay for those costs.

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When Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?

So, when will insurance cover water damage, and what type of water damage is covered by homeowners insurance? For your homeowners insurance to cover water damage, the damage needs to be sudden and accidental. For example, a burst pipe or a hose that breaks off of a washing machine and floods your home would be covered. Your home insurance won’t cover certain situations:

Damage caused by maintenance issues or neglect, such as a pipe that has been lightly leaking for months.
The cost of repairing or replacing the source of the water damage, like the cost of repairing a burst pipe or a faulty appliance.
Water damage caused by floodwaters entering from outside of your home. (You would need a separate flood insurance policy to cover this type of damage.)

Insurance policies will also exclude several other water damage causes, like damage from groundwater, sewer lines, sump pump backups, and normal wear and tear.

How to Maximize Your Water Damage Coverage

If you want to make sure that you’re protected against water damage to your home, contact your insurance company with any questions and carefully read your policy. Your policy will outline any exclusions, as well as what is covered.

You may want to purchase an additional water damage policy or endorsement for more comprehensive coverage. If you’re in an area that could potentially flood, it’s a good idea to invest in flood insurance, too.

As you shop for these policies, take the time to compare the coverage you can get from different home insurance providers. Shopping around and comparing quotes can help you find the coverage that you want at the best price. You can get free home insurance quotes online today, which make it easy to see how the policy options stack up. As you compare them, think not only about the policy cost, but also your coverage maximum, deductible amount, and any exclusions.

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Paige Cerulli Paige Cerulli is a freelance content writer and journalist who specializes in personal finance topics. She graduated from Westfield State University and brings more than a decade of professional writing experience to the ConsumerCoverage team. Paige’s work has appeared in outlets including USA Today, Business Insider, and more.