Water can be very tricky in the way that damage is caused to a property. It can occur from leaky plumbing, leaking roof, and rising waters. If the damage is not taken care of in a timely manner problems such as mold or dry rot may start to happen. Floods are caused by the rising of waters outside of what is considered normal and common in the U.S. Flood damage can be quite severe and HDG is here to help you navigate the claims process.
Water can damage many items in your home like flooring, furniture, built in cabinets, ceilings. It may also, if not treated, cause unpleasant odors due to mold forming.
Its important to check these issues quickly and get them repaired fast. Call HDG to get help immediately with your claim.
Flood claims can be tricky since the insurance company may agree to a claim but not pay out in a timely manner.
Damage needs to be fixed right away as lingering water damage can result in more problems further down the road.
There are may ways water damage can happen on your property such as broken plumbing, a ceiling leak, blocked A/C drainage line, Sewer flooding and many others.
Don’t let the water damage continue if you can stop the issue. Some policies will look to see if you let the damage continue or if you worked to prevent further damage. So don’t get stuck wondering what your rights are if you experience water damage.
When you call in your claim be careful what terminology you use to describe your issue. If you have water damage don’t call it a “flood” and vise versa. If you need help differentiating between these call HDG Public Adjusters.
The issue will need to be mitigated by stopping the damage and beginning the dry out process within the first 24 hours. Beware when you deal with the insurance adjuster that they don’t cut corners when recommending vendors. To save the carrier money they may not perform the work at the highest quality like not removing baseboards or furniture to help with the dry out of the dwelling or business.
Locating the extent of the water in the structure with moisture detectors, hygrometers, and the use of infrared cameras will benefit you in determining how much damage has occurred. If the insurance adjuster doesn’t use any of the above equipment you may have an issue with the claim later due to lack of data.
Proper cleaning during and after the dry out is very important. Use of disinfectants help reduce the spread of disease and bacteria. When dealing with black water damage or damage from contaminated water from sewage and other similar sources you must take care when cleaning those areas.
Don’t wait to report your damage, some polices won’t cover your claim if it is older than a certain time frame. Review your policy to see how long you have to report damage.
FEMA.gov defines a flood as “A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of 2 or more acres of normally dry land area or of 2 or more properties (at least 1 of which is the policyholder’s property) from:
–Overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
–Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source; or
–Mudflow;or
Collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined above.”
In laymans terms that means that a flood is a surplus of mud or rising water on normally dry land. Flooding can occur from overflowing rivers and waterways, heavy rain, and hurricane storm surges.
When you have to file a flood claim it is beneficial to be aware of the time frames for filing flood proof of loss because if a deadline is missed it is highly likely that your claim will not be paid. This deadline is sometimes as short as 60 days. Be sure to call HDG Public Adjusters to help you get all the paperwork in order and file in a timely manner to avoid problems.
There are three main types of water from which damage can occur. Clean Water, Gray Water, and Black Water.
The first type is called Clean Water and comes straight from a source like supply lines, appliances, or the weather (rain).
The second type is called Gray Water and can be from overflowing plumbing such as toilets or washer and dishwashers.
The third type is called Black Water which means the water sources is contaminated because it has been away from its original source for too long.