Apr 19 2011
Flood or Not?
For the past few months, we received a large number of inquires for advice about claims related to flood damage. This year was particularly eventful for Michigan, as we had to endure not just frigid temperatures but also a lot of snow. That meant flooded homes and basements, both from ruptured pipes, and from the melting waters.
While they result in the same kind of damage – destroyed floors, moldy walls and furniture, toxic mildew – most homeowners will often, mistakenly, call them both flood damage. It may not be a problem if they actually carry flood insurance. But usually, especially if the property is not situated in a flood area, they do not. So when they contacted their respective insurance companies to report the damages, the person at the other end, informed them that, since their policy does not include flood coverage, the insurance company will not pay for water damages.
That shouldn’t be the end of it. It wasn’t for the homeowners our public adjusters worked with. In over a dozen such cases, we properly documented the water damage, submitted them as water overflow claims, and were able to get settlements to cover the cost of repairs and lost possessions.