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My pipes froze and burst, damaging
my home. Do I have coverage?
Most homeowners insurance policies, except for the very
basic ones, cover damage to the home resulting from
broken pipes. For example, your insurance company will
pay to clean or replace the carpet and furniture that's
damaged, minus your deductible. For those with renters
insurance, property loss would be covered.
If the damage is so extensive that you can't stay in
the home, your insurance company generally will pay
for additional living expenses.
The pipes broke in my business
location. Is my office equipment covered?
Yes. The coverages are similar to those for homeowners
and renters policies. Your insurance company will cover
your losses, but not the cost for repairs.
Am I also covered for snow and
ice buildup that causes leaks in my roof?
This condition is known as an "ice dam." To
obtain coverage for this kind of leakage, not directly
the result of damage to the roof by wind or the weight
of snow, you would need an all-risks-not-excluded type
of policy. It is often referred to as an HO-3 or special
form policy.
How do I go about submitting a
claim for such damages?
First, take immediate steps to prevent further damage
and contact our agency. We will verify your coverage
and give you instructions for preparing your claim.
Generally, you'll be asked for repair estimates for
structural damage and a list of items that will need
repair or replacement. Depending on the amount of damage,
an appraiser from your insurance company may need to
see the damage. As with any insurance claim, keep all
receipts.
How can I prevent such damage in
the first place?
Frozen pipes. To avoid frozen pipes, wrap
pipes that are at risk in insulated heat tape and keep
the building heat at an adequate level throughout the
winter. If you have a power loss, however, you'll lose
heat, too, so if you're away fmm home more than a day
or two, arrange for someone to check on things. It's
also a good idea to open cabinet doors to circulate
warm air to pipes on outside walls.
Also, if you'll be away for an extended period of time,
drain your pipes. If you're going to be out of the home
for even a short time, shut off the water supply. That
way, if pipes do burst, the only water that will be
released into the house will be what's in the pipes.
Water won't continue to pump into the home, as often
happens when pipes burst.
If pipes freeze and burst, turn off the water supply
before the house warms and the water
in the pipes thaws, flooding the home.
Snow and ice buildup. Using a long-handled
snow puller, pull the snow from the roof, back just
a few feet from the edge of the eaves before ice has
a chance to form. By simply removing the snow along
the edge of the roof, you will give melting water a
chance to drain from the eaves and prevent the formation
of ice dams that may damage your roof
Do not get on the roof to remove snow buildup. This
is dangerous and you could easily damage the roofing
material, resulting in leaks when it rains.
Any other questions? We'll be glad to help. Call 860-283-0278
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