What is Groundwater and is it Covered by Your Homeowners Insurance Policy?

5/10/2021 (Permalink)

Groundwater

What is Groundwater and is it Covered by Your Homeowners Insurance Policy?

Groundwater intrusion into you home or commercial building is when water enters into the structure accidentally by way of the foundation, basement walls, floors or drains.

This can happen due to many reasons, storm water, drain backups, sewage system back-up, foundation cracks, improper or inadequate run off around the exterior of the building or cracks in the floor and walls.

What is affected if groundwater enters your structure? If the area is finished or unfinished there will still be damages that need to be repaired. If the area is unfinished there will most likely be insulation on the walls that is damaged and will need to be removed and replaced, concrete flooring will need to have the water or sewage removed and then the concrete will need to be dried until it reaches an acceptable amount of moisture and any content that is damaged will have to be disposed of.

If the groundwater enters a finished area the damage will most likely be far worse. When groundwater enters a finished area there are many things to take into consideration, the type of flooring material and will it have to be removed and disposed of, were baseboards and drywall affected and if so, they will need to be removed, any wet insulation behind the drywall will need to be removed and replaced. All of the structure’s materials will need to be dried by a professional restoration company and a treatment applied to avoid mold growth. If this is a living area any furniture and content damage cost.

If you suffer a loss due to groundwater you will need to find the source of the water intrusion. Sometimes it is very obvious and other times you may have to call a professional to determine how the water entered. Once it has been determined how the water entered the building it is best to have the repairs made because it will most likely happen again.

Insurance coverage, most property insurance does not cover ground water intrusion but some companies do over an optional coverage you can purchase for groundwater coverage. If you have a concern about your coverage, contact your insurance company.