As Hurricane Michael appears to be headed for the Carolinas, I'd like to remind people to pay attention to the local news. If local authorities recommend that specific areas evacuate; secure your home, gather and take important documents, personal belongs, and take their advice! With all the rain and water hitting our residents, I wanted to share a little important insurance information about how protect your home from water damages caused by something other than a standard flood.
Examples would be a toilet overflowing, the drain backing up, the sump pump malfunctioning or a sewer line breaking and sending water gushing in from the street. Does insurance cover the ensuing damage? Potentially, no. That is, unless you have an endorsement to your policy that covers water and sewer backup.
The Coleman Agency provides comprehensive insurance products to meet our customers' needs. That includes an optional endorsement that may help protect them from the potentially disastrous effects of water backup.
Many carriers' homeowners policies provide coverage for water that backs up through sewers or drains as long as the damage originates on premises. Water that escapes, overflows or discharges from a sump pump, sump well or any other system designed to remove water that is drained from the foundation area is specifically excluded. That's why our optional endorsement could come in handy for some of your clients.
What Is Covered With The Optional Coverage?
Coverage is expanded to include backup or overflow from causes originating off premises, as long as the backup or overflow itself occurs on premises.
Benefits Of The Optional Endorsement
Carriers may offer optional endorsement gives back coverage for overflow originating on premises from a sump pump or similar system that is otherwise excluded in the base contract.
This endorsement also protects against water backup on premises that originates through no fault of the customer – for example, if the main sewer line gets clogged up the block.
Check out the feature below for more details on water damage. And be sure to contact The Coleman Agency for all of your insurance needs.
(Image Courtesy: Safeco Insurance)