Does house insurance cover water damage?
Short answer. House insurance covers water damage that is sudden and accidental, such as a burst pipe, a broken appliance hose, or rain entering through a roof opening made by wind or hail. It does not cover flood water from outside, slow leaks that went on for weeks, or damage from neglected maintenance, and sewer or drain backup usually needs a separate endorsement.
Coverage depends on where the water came from
- Burst or broken plumbing: generally covered, including tearing out the wall or ceiling to reach the pipe. The pipe repair itself often is not.
- Appliance failures: a split washing machine hose or a failed water heater is usually covered for the damage it causes, not for the appliance.
- Roof leaks: covered when a storm created the opening. Leaks through worn shingles usually are not, although some policies still pay the interior damage.
- Flood: rising creeks, surface water and storm runoff entering at ground level are excluded. Flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood policy is separate.
- Sewer or drain backup: excluded unless you added water backup coverage, an inexpensive endorsement worth asking your agent about.
- Slow leaks and seepage: excluded when they continued for weeks or months.
Why speed matters
Every policy requires you to protect the home from further damage. Shut off the water, start drying, and call a water mitigation company quickly. Insurers can reduce what they pay for damage that grew because nobody acted, and mold that develops from a delay may fall under a small mold limit or an exclusion. Photograph everything before cleanup, photograph removed materials, and save every receipt.
Georgia homes take a lot of water from summer thunderstorms. When rain comes through a ceiling after a storm, the roof repair and the interior repair are normally handled in one claim with one deductible, so get the roof inspected before the adjuster arrives. See interior water damage from roof leaks and your duty to tarp and mitigate.