If a simple answer is all you need, then the answer is yes. Absolutely. Water backup coverage is a must-have. However, if you want to understand why you might want water backup coverage, we have the answers here.
If you asked homeowners to create a list of situations they hoped to never have to deal with at home, a sump pump failure would likely rank just underneath having a fire.
Water Backup is a True Disaster
When water backs up into your home, it is a disaster on the same scale as a fire. Here’s why:
- Backed up water brings bacteria and other water-borne materials into your home
- Creates costly water damage
- Leads quickly to mold issues
Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance
Being a costly disaster is bad enough, but imagine that costly disaster with no homeowners insurance. That is what will happen if you don’t add water backup coverage because most homeowners policies do not cover this peril.
You will want the water backup endorsement if you have a:
- Sump
- Sump pump
- Similar equipment
These are not considered part of the plumbing system nor are they considered as a household appliance. Therefore, any damage caused by this equipment is not covered by the policy.
It’s Not Expensive
Most water backup coverage costs less than $250 yearly, with some policies as low as $50 per year. There are many different limits to fit the needs of the insured. For instance, someone with a full finished basement is more likely to need greater coverage than someone with an unfinished basement. Or those with a home office and expensive equipment in a water backup prone area will also want more coverage than someone who’s water backup prone area contains nothing more than a few old pieces of furniture and unused Christmas decorations.
When you look at the cost of a policy compared to the average cost of water damage to Florida homes is almost $2,600 per event, it is a no-brainer. Talk with your agent about the best coverage for your needs.
Water Backups Are Common
You may think you aren’t likely to experience a water backup. Perhaps you live on a hill. Maybe you have no basement. Perhaps you think your flood insurance will cover the issue (it won’t). Or maybe you’ve never had a water backup issue before. Therefore, you believe that a water backup is unlikely to happen.
Unfortunately, you would be wrong. A water backup can happen to anyone. And when it happens, the loss can be substantial, especially if you don’t have insurance to help cover the loss.
Provides ALE Coverage
If you have water backup coverage, this qualifies you to use your homeowners policy’s additional living expenses (ALE) coverage in case your water backup makes the home uninhabitable. ALE covers the cost of:
- Shelter
- Food
- Travel
It will even cover the loss of rent if you rent out a portion of your home or loss of business use if you have a home business.
Prevention
At Aftermath Adjusters & Consulting, we want to be sure that you have all the information you need for preventing and preparing for potential water backup. Even with adequate coverage, you don’t want to have to deal with water backups. Here are a few things you can do to prevent this issue from happening:
- Don’t pour grease into your sink or toilet
- Don’t flush anything other than toilet tissue
- Have your sump pump checked regularly
- Install a backwater prevention value
- Purchase a battery backup for your sump pump during inclement weather.
However, even with these preventions, you can still experience water backup issues. If this happens to you, give Aftermath Adjusters & Consulting a call. We’d be happy to help you with your water backup claim.
