Homeowners insurance covers you against a number of perils that could negatively affect your home. One of the most common types of claims involves an appliance leaking in the house and damaging the floor. With most insurance policies, you would be covered in this case as long as you were not negligent in maintaining the appliance.
Appliance Water Damage
When you are a homeowner, you most likely have several appliances that could cause water damage to your floor. For example, when you have a refrigerator with an ice maker, the small water tube that is connected to the back could get a hole in it. When this happens, it could leak for several hours before anyone realizes it. Depending on what type of flooring you have, it could do a substantial amount of damage that requires you to file a homeowners insurance claim.
Deductible
When you file a homeowners insurance claim, you have to pay a deductible to the insurance company. The amount of the deductible is determined by the policy that you chose. For instance, the deductible could be $500, $1,000 or $2,000, depending on what you chose when you originally purchased your policy. The deductible is an amount of money that is charged before the insurance company pays anything. This is used to deter policy holders from using the insurance unnecessarily.
Rejected Claims
Even though your policy may provide you with coverage when an appliance leaks, in some cases, the insurance company may reject your claim. According to Chubb Insurance, 51 percent of water claims are not fully covered by insurance companies. The insurance company may try to get out of paying full benefits if you did not maintain the appliance as you should. The damage may also not be fully covered if you did not report the claim soon enough.
Covered Claims
If the insurance company determines that your claim is covered, you should be reimbursed for many different expenses. Perhaps the largest expense that is paid for is the cost to replace the flooring. This could cost thousands of dollars if you had wood flooring or something else that is damaged by water. The insurance company may also pay for you to stay in a hotel while the work to your house is being done. This could include meals and other expenses incurred while out of your home.
