The information in this article is general and may not apply specifically to your homeowners insurance. We recommend that you speak with your insurance agent or review your homeowners insurance policy to see exactly what your specific policy covers.
Even if your insurance policy covers “water damage”, it’s highly unlikely that it covers ALL types of damage. The more likely scenario is that it includes a number of exceptions which makes claims for water damage a bit tricky.
Generally, homeowners insurance policies cover water damage from any of the following:
- floods
- sudden or accidental pipe bursts
- sewer backup and overflow
- storm related water damage
The kinds of things they won’t pay for are gradual water damage from any of the following:
- pipes that have been leaking for a long time
- damaged roof that has gone unrepaired
- seepage coming from cracks
But again, we urge you to speak with your insurance agent and/or look over your policy to identify exactly what your specific policy with and will not pay for.
Are Slab Leaks Covered By Homeowners Insurance?
There are some insurance policies that will cover slab leaks and some have specific requirements for covering these types of water leak problems.
If a slab leak is the result of a covered peril, causing further damage to your home, dwelling protection and personal property insurance on your homeowners policy may offer financial protection. – esurance.com
Slab leaks are very common here in the Atlanta, Ga. area.
How Do You Know If You Have A Slab Leak?
Following are 14 signs to look out for:
- Cracks in the concrete slab is an obvious one
- Pooling of water where there shouldn’t be – this could be indoor or outdoor
- Drywall cracks on your walls
- Soggy carpeting, deformed wood floors or any sign of a change in your flooring
- Baseboards are wet or moist
- Mold or mildew – even if you don’t see it you may smell it
- Interior doors that don’t close properly, but they used to
- An unexplained hot spot in your floor
- An unusually high water bill
- Your toilet(s) and/or showers and/or bathtubs back up
- Your water pressure decreases
- Your hot water heater is constantly running
- You hear odd sounds, running water but no faucets are turned on
- You notice that you are running out of hot water for no reason (this may indicate a leak in your hot water line)
How To Make A Successful Water Leak Insurance Claim
Here are some tips to help you if and when you have to put in a claim for water damage.
- Do not proceed with any restoration process until you have called your insurer. They will send out a loss adjuster to assess the situation.
- Take photos and videos of the leak, the resulting damage and the repair by the plumber.
- Speak with your insurer about you using your own surveyors / contractor instead of theirs. You may get a better result with someone you hire vs. someone who is working for the insurance. company.
If you have any questions about water leaks, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.