Does insurance cover a ceiling collapse?
How collapse coverage works
Many homeowners policies treat collapse as an additional coverage with its own list of causes. Typical wording covers an abrupt falling down or caving in caused by a covered peril, decay or insect damage hidden from view and unknown to you, the weight of people or contents, the weight of rain that collects on a roof, or defective construction methods if the collapse happens during construction. A ceiling that is only sagging, bulging or cracked is usually not a collapse under that wording, though the water damage that caused the sag may be covered on its own.
Common causes in Georgia homes
- Water pooling on drywall from a storm-damaged roof or a burst supply line until the board gives way.
- An overflowing attic air handler drain pan soaking the ceiling below, which is common in summer.
- Ice-laden limbs or a whole tree crashing through the roof during a winter storm.
If the ceiling is sagging right now
Keep people and pets out of the room and turn off power to any light fixture in the wet area. A bulging, water-filled ceiling can be drained by poking a small hole at the lowest point over a bucket, which often prevents the whole panel from coming down. Photograph everything first, then move furniture and contents. Call your insurer and start drying quickly, because your policy requires you to prevent further damage.
When the water came through the roof, the roof opening and the interior damage are usually one claim with one deductible. See interior water damage coverage and your duty to mitigate.