Insurance Claims

What You Need to Know About Water Damage Insurance Claims

Water damage incidents at home could prove stressful. The Insurance Information Institute reports that one of the most common causes of home insurance claims is water damage, coming second to wind and hail damage claims. Dealing with the insurance claim process can be overwhelming, but you are not alone.

ServiceMaster by LoveJoy has compiled some water damage insurance claim tips to help you understand the claims process better and keep the stress to a minimum.

What Types of Water Damage is Commonly Covered by Home Insurance?

Standard homeowners insurance covers the following types of water damage:

However, standard home insurance policies do not usually cover the following:

Take note that basic homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage and other types of water damage, so it is a proactive step to purchase a separate flood insurance policy as well as coverage for broken pipes, failed drainage tiles or sewer backup. You can learn more about flood insurance claims process.

Before Filing an Insurance Claim

Take these steps before you file a claim to make sure that no further damage happens to your property.

Minor damages still require the services of a trusted water damage restoration company to take precautions to ensure that further damage doesn’t happen to the affected area.

Don'ts When Filing a Water Damage Insurance Claim

Throwing damaged items away

Making repairs before you have the approval

Using the vendors suggested by the insurance company

How to File a Water Damage Insurance Claim

Here are the steps to filing a water damage insurance claim:
  1. Review the declarations page of your homeowners or renters insurance policy to check your coverage, deductibles, limitations, exclusions and filing deadlines.
  2. Document the damage (photos, videos, etc.) before any cleanup or restoration work.
  3. Once the affected area has been inspected, hire a professional restoration company like ServiceMaster by LoveJoy for assessments, estimates and restoration. We will perform complete water extractiondrying and dehumidificationpack-out and content storage, board-up and mold remediation as necessary.
  4. Request written estimates at each stage of the process to provide to your insurance agency.
  5. Gather necessary information needed to file a claim, including, but not limited, to:
    • Date and location of the damage
    • Contact information of the property owner or your contact information if you do not own the property
    • Cleanup and restoration estimates
    • Receipts for cleanup, repairs, lodging and meals if your home is uninhabitable or if you have to leave before or during cleanup and repair, and other related costs
    • A complete list of all damaged items and building materials
  6.  Keep a detailed record of every contact or communication you’ve made with the insurance company. Include the date and time of the call, the name of the representative, and a short description of your conversation. Keep copies of written communication with the insurance company, including files for digital communication like emails.
You will be contacted within a couple of days after you have filed your water damage claim. You will be provided with a detailed description of the process, including your responsibilities and documentation you need to complete. After this is done, your claim will undergo investigation. Upon approval, you will receive reimbursement for the damaged property and a direct payment to the company in charge of the restoration work.

What Will Cause Coverage to be Denied in a Water Damage Insurance Claim?

Avoiding a Denied Water Damage Claim

Take the following steps to ensure the likelihood of your claim being approved in the future.

Make an Appointment With a Trusted Professional in Georgia

If your water damage emergency can’t wait, ServiceMaster by LoveJoy is on-call 24 hours a day7 days a week365 days a year. We service residential and commercial properties in AtlantaRoswell Sandy Springs, DecaturStockbridgeConyersMcDonoughStone MountainCovingtonSocial CircleDekalb County, Fulton County, Georgia and surrounding areas.