No matter how hard you try, you can’t protect your home from every type of damage. If you find yourself dealing with a basement leak, you may have to turn to an insurance provider to receive the financial and physical protection you need.
Unfortunately, your insurance provider may not cover the type of leak you’re dealing with. What types of leaks are providers likely to cover? Furthermore, are there any steps you can take to protect your home from leaks in the first place?
Why Is Your Basement Leaking?
Many insurance providers determine whether or not to consider a leak claim based on where the leak is coming from. With this in mind, you’ll want to make an effort to determine what the source of your basement leak is.
There are several reasons that may explain why your basement is leaking. One of the most common includes the build-up of hydrostatic pressure around your home. When water encounters concrete and other materials, it forces those materials to rapidly expand and contract in response to changes in the temperature around them. While trying to keep up with those temperature changes, the aforementioned materials may crack, letting water into your home.
Other reasons your basement may begin to leak include:
- An unstable foundation
- Poor grading around your home
- Leaking pipes inside of your home
- Clogged drains
Will Your Homeowner’s Insurance Cover A Basement Leak?
As mentioned, insurance providers will work to determine what caused the leak in your home before letting you know whether or not they’ll honor your claim. Most insurance providers will work to fulfill claims that cite an internal leak as the source of a homeowner’s woes.
The leaks that insurance providers most often respond to include:
- Leaking water heaters
- Broken or burst pipes
- Piping problems
- Large appliance malfunctions
Filing a claim for an internal leak doesn’t always end in an insurance payout, though. If your leak was caused by an appliance that’s still under warranty, your insurance provider will direct you toward the manufacturer in question. The manufacturer will then be responsible for both providing you with a replacement appliance and for compensating you for the damage done to your home.
If the warranty for the appliance in question has expired, your insurance provider should step in to provide you with a replacement and repair funds.
When Won’t Your Insurance Provider Cover A Basement Leak?
That said, providers won’t cover every sort of leak that threatens to plague your home. If an insurance provider determines that the leak in question originated outside of your home, it will likely not honor your claim.
Insurance providers will often turn down claims that involve one of the following:
- Environmental leaks – Certain parts of Indiana see more flooding than others. Insurance providers, however, usually turn down homeowner’s insurance claims that involve environmental leaks. If you have emergency coverage or environmental coverage, you may be compensated for any losses you endured. If you’re relying on homeowner’s insurance to protect your belongings from floods, snow, or other external sources of water damage, you may find yourself out of luck.
- Leaks caused by the weather – Similarly, any flooding that your insurance provider notes to be a result of excessive rain may be denied, as the leak’s source originates outside of your home.
- Basement seepage – Finally, there comes the matter of seepage. Seepage isn’t the same as a leak. Instead, seepage is considered to be the arrival of moisture inside of your home without the presence of structural damage. If, for example, you endure unexpected dampness after a long drought breaks, your insurance provider may claim that you’re dealing with seepage instead of a traditional leak. It’s during these moments that the opinions of practicing professionals come in handy. You may be able to contest a seepage claim by having a professional inspect your basement.
Even if you’re not able to receive compensation for your basement damage, you should be able to invest in repairs. The foundation and basement repair professionals working out of Indianapolis, IN, will always work with you to ensure your home is waterproofed. You can discuss your waterproofing options after a home inspection. Take advantage of your free quote on potential waterproofing systems to determine for yourself which solutions may suit you best.
