Homeowners may be concerned about the regularity of severe weather reports calling for more than a foot of rain, hurricane-strength winds, and flash flooding. Conditions like these can lead to rainwater entering your home and causing substantial damage, from ruining basements to cracking foundations, destroying electrical and plumbing systems, and infiltrating drywall, flooring, and insulation—not to mention doing permanent damage to personal belongings. Restoring everything that’s been water-damaged by rain can easily end up costing a homeowner tens of thousands of dollars.
So, it doesn’t surprise Fred C. Church that many people are becoming increasingly curious about what their home insurance might cover if they experience rain-related damage. The most critical factor for determining whether a homeowner’s insurance policy is going to cover damages caused by rainwater is how the rain entered the home in the first place.
When Does Home Insurance Cover Water Damage from Rain?
If rainwater infiltrated your home due to a sudden and accidental incident and was the direct result of an event that is covered by your standard home insurance policy, such as hail, lightning, fire, theft or vandalism, falling objects, or weight of ice and snow, your insurance company will typically help pay to repair damaged items and replace ruined ones, up to your policy limits and minus any deductibles.
Following are a few common scenarios in which rain-related damage to your property may be covered by standard home insurance:
- A tree is knocked over during a storm and falls through a window in your home, allowing rainwater in.
- An ice dam that forms on your roof exposes your home to an influx of rain and melting ice.
- A thief breaks a door trying to get inside your home, which, in turn, opens the door for rain to come right on in as well.
The types of events that are covered by home insurance can vary depending on a homeowner’s specific policy. It’s important to talk to a local insurance professional, like a Fred C. Church team member, who can help you understand the rain-related situations your individual policy may cover.
Homeowners have a crucial responsibility if they realize rain is not only falling outside but inside their home as well. They should try to limit the rainwater damage as much as possible. So, once you identify the source of the incoming rain, you must arrange for at least a short-term fix that will stop the flow of water until your insurance company can get out to your house to assess the situation.
Does Home Insurance Cover Flood Damage from Rain?
When torrential rains hit a community, local rivers and streams often overflow, groundwater tends to seep into many people’s basements, drains and sewage systems frequently back up, and older or smaller sump pumps generally can’t keep up.
As a result, many homeowners who have experienced this type of weather event have firsthand knowledge that heavy rains can lead to flooding in their homes, even if their properties are located in a community that is classified as moderate to low flood risk. They probably also have a clearer understanding that home insurance does not cover these types of rain and water backup events or the substantial and costly damages they can cause.
There’s probably no better time than today to consider enhancing your home insurance protection and securing broader coverage against flood and water damage from rain. The Fred C. Church team can help you investigate a separate flood insurance policy as well as explore the benefits of adding the water backup endorsement to your current home insurance solution.
Even if you think your property is on such high ground or so far from bodies of water that it’s safe from the effects of rainfall, flooding, and more, we still encourage you to contact us to review the coverage included in your current policy. As your insurance broker, we want to do our best to help you select the solutions that may help you better safeguard your home and belongings from today’s risks and tomorrow’s potential threats.
Have more questions about what home insurance covers? We’ve got the answers, so please give us a call. Remember, you can ask us anything.
