Is my damage covered by my homeowners insurance?

11/14/2019 (Permalink)

Damage to framing caused by a unnoticed leak.

You just found out that you just experienced a disaster!  There is a significant amount of damage to what is probably your largest investment in your life.  Will your insurance company help you with cleanup?  What about repairs?  What if you are forced to relocate for a time while the home is being repaired?  If the damage to the home is covered, what about your contents especially those expensive collectibles or fine arts?  What if you didn't realize that you had water damage and now there is mold growth?

One of the issues that SERVPRO of Dubuque deals with on nearly service call is the question of "Is there coverage for my damage?"

The question of coverage is always answered by your insurance company's adjuster that is assigned to your claim.  However, the selection of coverage that is the most appropriate should be done with your agent, prior to having a claim.

Here is a link to a very interesting article from House Logic, that was shared to us with our partners from Sherrill Mutual Fire Insurance Association.

https://www.houselogic.com/finances-taxes/home-insurance/what-does-homeowners-insurance-cover/

The article discusses the standard coverages provided in a basic policy as well as broader coverages that are available either through endorsement or by simply selecting a broader policy form.

I believe that one point in the article needs clarification.  The article states that:

"No matter which basic policy you get, it’s not going to cover everything than can damage or destroy your home. Typical homeowners policies don’t cover:

• Bad things that happen because you failed to maintain your home (like mold)"

Although it is true that damage caused by poor maintenance of the home is normally not covered, mold could be covered by some policies if it is a result of a covered water damage loss and the insured did not fail to address the water damage when it was discovered.

Having a better understanding of what your policy covers at the time of a loss can allow you to respond more quickly to damage.

The faster you respond, the faster we can be to any sized disaster!

Call the fire, water and mold damage professionals at SERVPRO of Dubuque.

https://www.houselogic.com/finances-taxes/home-insurance/what-does-homeowners-insurance-cover/