Water damage caused by burst pipes can be extensive and expensive.

Most homeowner policies will cover physical damage from water if it started from plumbing within the home. The plumbing repair for the broken pipe may not be covered according to the language in some policies, but all ensuing damage to the structure and contents are usually covered.

However, if your home is not occupied when this happens, such as a vacation home or a vacant rental property, or if you don’t discover that a pipe in your yard has burst and the water seeps slowly into your home over a period of time, then the resulting damage and those repairs may not be covered by your insurance company and we advise you to consult with a public adjuster to evaluate your water damage.

One of the biggest risks when it comes to burst pipes is that the water may not be discovered quick enough and mold may grow within the home. So, what should you do if your home sustains water damage?

You must first take steps to reduce or stop the flow of water and report the damage. We often see damage from a broken pipe that is discovered days after the initial loss occurred. By then, the water has saturated walls, insulation and floors. If you don’t find all the damage right away and it sits, then it can quickly turn into a mold problem which is obviously a lot more expensive to eradicate.

All policies require homeowners to mitigate their loss so homeowners should feel free to take steps to limit the water damage since it will not affect their final claim payment from the insurance company. Things like turning off the main water valve, extracting the standing water, and removing carpeting and furniture will help to dry out the house and limit damage.

Depending on the extent of the damage from a broken pipe or burst pipes, we would advise you to consult with a professional public adjuster first to review your policy and evaluate the damages. Depending on your policy coverage’s, it may not be feasible for you to file a claim.

We know that this experience can be very stressful to families and we’re here to help make the claims process and repairing homes as quick and efficient as possible.

Claims Aid Consultants Public Adjusters are licensed professionals and experts at completing complicated insurance claims paperwork such as documenting lost and damaged property and working with insurance company adjusters.

We assist with getting expenses covered by insurance companies, such as temporary housing while repairs are being made or hiring security to prevent looting and vandalism to the property.

A public adjuster will help you navigate through the entire claims process to get your home renovated and repaired as quick as possible.