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          The Storm Page
          Flood Damage vs. Water Damage


With winter storms causing widespread damage, the Insurance Information Network of California® offers answers to frequently asked storm questions:
 
Question: Rising water flooded my home. Am I covered?
Answer: A standard homeowner policy does not cover flood damage. However, a flood insurance policy, which compliments your homeowner policy, would provide coverage for damage caused by flooding. Flood insurance is typically available from your agent through the National Flood Insurance Program (www.floodsmart.gov or (800) 427-9662). Keep in mind that it takes 30 days from the time you purchase the policy for it to take effect. The standard homeowner policy covers damage from water that falls from the sky (rain, sleet, snow and hail), but a flood policy covers damage from rising water.

Question: A hill collapsed and slid into my home. Does my homeowner insurance policy cover this damage?
Answer: No. Landslides and mudslides are not covered by either homeowner or flood insurance policies.

Question: My apartment flooded during the recent storms damaging my personal belongings. Will my landlord’s insurance cover my losses?
Answer: No. Your landlord’s insurance will typically cover the damage to the structure of the apartment, not your personal belongings. Only your own flood insurance policy would cover damages to personal property following a flood.

Question: People are knocking on my door offering their services to clean up or prepare my yard. How do I know if they are legitimate?
Answer: The law specifies that anyone offering contractor work needs to be licensed. Before allowing work to be done on your home, verify the contractor’s license status or call the Contractor State License Board at 800-321-2752.

Question: My car was caught in a flash flood. Will my auto insurance cover the repairs?
Answer: Yes. The comprehensive portion of the auto insurance policy would cover any damage to your car not caused by an auto accident. If you are involved in a rain-related accident, that damage would be covered by the collision portion of your policy.

Question: The storm caused a tree to fall on my home. Does my homeowner insurance policy cover the damage?
Answer: Yes. The damage to your home would be covered and most policies will also cover up to $500 for tree removal. However, if the tree fell into your yard and did not cause damage to your home, the tree removal would be your own responsibility.

Question: Winds blew shingles off my roof, causing a leak that allowed rain to soak my living room. Would I be covered for this damage?
Answer: Typically, yes. Homeowner insurance covers losses resulting from wind damage, such as rain entering the home from a wind-damaged roof. It does not cover damage from an aging or poorly maintained roof, however.

IINC is a non-profit and non-lobbying trade association dedicated to helping the public understand insurance and manage risk. For more information, please visit www.iinc.org. IINC is also on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/iinc and on Facebook at http://companies.to/iinc.


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
National Flood Insurance Program