WATER DAMAGE VS. FLOOD DAMAGE

1/24/2023 (Permalink)

a flooded road with a warning sign

WHAT IS WATER DAMAGE

SERVPRO®? of Moore wants you to Imagine this: You're home, sleeping. Your spouse wakes you up after returning from their late-night bathroom trip and says the toilet is flowing like Niagara Falls (and for some reason, these things only happen late at night when everything is closed).

This unfortunate incident is considered water damage. Water damage usually results from an internal issue within the house (i.e., the above toilet scenario or your pipes bursting). It is different from Flood Damage.

FLOOD DAMAGE

Flood Damage is usually caused by Mother Nature raging outside your home. For example, when Claudette flooded your living room and ruined all the furniture, or a creek bed overflows during heavy rain.

Unlike water damage, flood damage comes from natural sources like storms, lakes, rivers, and streams, and the difference is huge in terms of how and if you can file claims.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR COVERAGE

Pull out your insurance policy right now and look over it. Most likely, you have coverage for water damage (but always double-check as some insurance policies will only cover certain types).

Generally, most homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flood damage. So what can you do? Make sure to research and consider purchasing a flood insurance policy. 

SERVPRO®? of Moore TO WRAP UP:

Although they seem similar, the difference between flood damage and water damage is significant when it comes to your homeowner’s policy coverage and what you pay out of your wallet.

In general, flood damage results from a natural disaster like a tropical storm. On the other hand, water damage is caused by something in your home, like burst pipes. Your insurance policy generally covers water damage. But unless you specifically purchase a flood insurance policy, you’ll be footing the bill for any natural disasters yourself.