What kind of water damage does homeowners insurance cover?
Short answer. Homeowners insurance generally covers water damage that is sudden and accidental, such as a burst pipe, a ruptured water heater, or rain pouring in after hail or wind breaks the roof. It generally excludes flooding and rising surface water, sewer backup unless you add an endorsement, and slow leaks or seepage that went on for weeks.
Usually covered
- Rain entering through an opening that wind, hail or a falling tree made in the roof or a wall.
- A supply line, pipe or appliance that suddenly bursts or overflows. The policy pays for the resulting damage, though the failed part itself is often excluded.
- A frozen pipe that bursts, as long as you kept the house heated.
- Water used to put out a fire.
- Leaks from ice dams on many policies, with the roof repair judged separately.
Usually excluded
- Flood: rising water from storms, creeks or storm surge needs a separate flood policy.
- Sewer or drain backup: covered only with a water backup endorsement.
- Repeated seepage: leaks that ran for weeks or months, and the rot and mold they caused.
- Groundwater coming through a foundation or slab.
- Worn out roofs: leaks through shingles or flashing that simply aged out.
The Georgia twist: equipment in the attic
Many Georgia homes have the furnace or air handler in the attic. A condensate line that clogs and suddenly overflows is often treated as a sudden discharge, while a drain pan that dripped for months is seepage. That means a ceiling stain under the air handler is not always a roof leak, and filing a roof claim for it can end in a denial. Find the source first.
What decides your claim
Three things: what caused the water, how fast it happened, and what you did once you knew. Stop the water, photograph everything before cleanup, keep receipts for drying equipment, and report promptly. The adjuster will ask when you first noticed it.
More: interior damage from a roof leak and your duty to stop further damage.