29 Dec Home Owners Insurance – Water Up to Your Ankles?
Home Owners Insurance – Water Up to Your Ankles?
Have you ever got up from the couch in the living room, took two steps, and felt water up to the top of your feet? You probably haven’t but it happened to me! And let me tell you it will get your heart pumping! Water damage can happen at any moment. It was Christmas eve when it happened to me. I was up late wrapping gifts and doing laundry. You know, trying to get caught up with chores while playing Santa. The washer had been running for a good hour and a half. In the back of my head, I was thinking that it seemed like an extra-long wash cycle. What I didn’t realize was the washer was stuck on the fill cycle! Resulting in it overflowing with water for at least an hour. My first thought was, “Holy crap!” The second thought was, “Grab every towel, blanket, and sheet!” And my third thought was, “Water damage…Yikes!”
There was water in the laundry room. There was water in the dining room. Water in the kitchen and water in the bathroom. Yep, no joke! And the water was well on its way into the kid’s bedroom, living room, and master bedroom. With the water about two inches deep I was panicking to get everything up off the floor, unplug cords from the Christmas tree lights. And, oh my gosh, get all the presents up off the ground!! When there is that much water there aren’t enough towels, blankets, or sheets to soak it up. I grabbed a broom and started sweeping the water downstairs (this is an upstairs condo). I remember thinking it was a great way to “deep clean” the floors. That offered a little bit of relief while I cleaned it up.
It took about two hours to clean up the water. It was terrifying and exhausting, to say the least! I was able to clean it up before it actually caused any damage. Thankfully! Others are not so lucky. Water damage is one of the top claims with Home Owners Insurance. It is so important to know what type of coverage your policy has. If you have questions about your policy, reach out to Lareme Fessler.
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Oh, by the way, the best part of that night was the kids sleeping through the entire event and not having a clue what happened when they woke up!
What if you really did have water damage though? It’s best to double-check your policy because they aren’t all the same. If you have Water Damage Coverage then your policy will cover the repairs minus the deductible. If your policy covers you for Replacement Cost then the insurance carrier won’t deduct anything from the final payout for depreciation.
What does water damage actually look like? Dark or wet spots on the ceiling and interior/exterior walls of your home are indicators of water damage. If your drywall or paint begins to have cracking, bubbling, or flaking then you might have water damage.
If you notice that you might have water damage it is best to shut off the water and call a professional to begin the drying process to reduce the risk of additional damage. The United States EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, has information on how to handle Flood Cleanup here. Then call your insurance carrier to file a claim. Your insurance carrier will assign you an adjuster that will inspect for damage, confirm coverage, and assess the cost.
Feel free to call Lareme Fessler with Canyon Lands Insurance. He can help answer any questions you might have.
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