What qualifies as a “flood” for a flood insurance claim?

Despite having both home and flood insurance policies, many people in Oro Valley, AZ, end up having their claims rejected for not knowing the difference between the two. So, how do you know if you have suffered a flood or water damage? While water does the same damage, water that floods your home is not always directly caused by floods. At Old Pueblo Insurance, we recommend asking your insurer to explain what qualifies flood damage to avoid filing the wrong insurance claim.

What is water damage, and what causes it?

Water damage is usually caused by man-made controlled activities like a tap left open, plumbing problems, broken pipes, flooded air-conditioning unit, or overflowing washing machine. For instance, if you left your taps open and the water failed to drain correctly, it could flood your home and cause damage to your carpeting, electronics, and appliances. Water damage is easier to fix because you only need to find where the fault is and fix it.

Examples of water damage include:

· Rain that enters your home through a leaky roof

· Kitchen that floods due to burst pipe

What is flood damage, and what causes it?

Flood damage is simply damage that is caused by a flooding event. In simple terms, it must rain more than enough to cause a flooding event. This can be a hurricane or a natural disaster where the downpour is too much and happens in a short period of time.

Examples of flood damage include:

· A river that breaks its banks and enters your home.

· Rain that enters your basement and cannot be absorbed by the ground.

Note that heavy rains don’t have to cause floods. If the water enters the house through open windows or a damaged roof, it is considered water damage and not flood damage.

For more comprehensive information about flood damage in Oro Valley, AZ, contact Old Pueblo Insurance.