Does My Home Insurance Cover Spring Flooding?

Spring has arrived – at least according to the calendar!  With all the snow we have had in the last few days in the Barrie area, it may seem to some that Winter is going to last forever.  Nevertheless, soon enough, the birds will be chirping, spring cleaning will commence and the snow will start melting…for good!

One unpleasant side effect of spring may be flooding in your home caused by stormy weather  and melting snow and ice.  Knowing what is covered under your home insurance policy is an important piece of information when dealing with any water damage claim.

Isn’t water damage covered by my Insurance?

Many people assume that any type of flood or water damage will be automatically covered by insurance.  After all, isn’t that the purpose of buying insurance – to cover those unexpected accidental and costly accidents?

It may surprise you to learn that not all types of water damage are covered by the standard home insurance policy.  For example, in general, standard policies do not cover flooding which is the result of rainstorms or from sewer backups. Sewer backups can be caused by heavy rainstorms or large amounts of melting snow.  Having said that, many insurance companies do offer optional or additional coverage for water damage caused by sewer backups.

Whether or not a specific loss will be covered, and to what extent, will depend upon the wording of your particular policy and whether additional coverages have been purchased.

Talk to the Experts

If you’ve experienced water damage in your home and your insurance company is refusing to pay for some or all of the costs of clean-up, speak to one of qualified insurance lawyers.  Our team of experienced Ontario Injury Lawyers can help ensure that your insurance company pays the appropriate restoration and replacements costs owed to you under the terms of your policy.

To arrange a free initial consultation with one of your lawyers, contact us toll free at 1.800.563.6348 or click here to complete our online form.