Does Your Home Insurance Cover Weather & Storm Damage?

4/5/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Hancock Park/Hollywood will work with your insurance to facilitate the restoration process & get your home in its original condition

Winter Storms, spring thaws, water damage and other losses caused by weather variations are often covered by your home insurance. Fortunately, many homeowners are insured and can make a claim if they sustain damage from a winter storm, spring thaw or cold snap. Depending on the type of policy you have, several types of risks and damage arising from weather may be covered and you may be able to get help and compensation for losses from your insurance company.

What Kind of Weather Related Damage Is Covered by Insurance?

The most common causes of winter storm or weather damage include:

• Hail Damage
• Roof Damage
• Water Damage
• Sewer Back Up
• Freezing Pipes
• Fallen Trees - There are many reasons a tree might fall, and whether or not it caused damage to property becomes important for the purpose of paying a claim. Different policies offer different types of coverage.
• Ice dams forming on the roof 
• Weight of snow and ice on the roof causing damage
• Wind damage (Which can include fallen trees and shingles or bricks flying off buildings and roofs)

• Loss or displacement due to power failure (which may include food loss, depending on your type of policy)
• Flooding due to melting snow, a sudden thaw, or excessive rainfall
• Water infiltration into the home. This may or may not be covered depending on how the damage is happening. Always call to find out what you might be eligible for. 

Although not all damages are covered by standard insurance, most of the above items are.

The major exception to most policies is flood damage. Flood damage is not usually covered by the home insurance company in the United States; you can find out more about flood insurance frequently asked questions here.