What Is the Difference Between a Flood Damage and a Water Damage?

Flooding refers to a large deposit of water around a home or building, or when the ground can't support the excess amount of water. At this point, the water will enter into a home or building and create damage. This is referred to as flood damage.

On the other hand, water damage is usually caused by internal issues in a home or building, including, but not limited to toilet over-flows, burst pipes, water heater leaks, broken sprinkler heads, etc.

The difference between flood and water damage to home and business owners', is who is responsible - financially and legally.

Financially, your damage will potentially fall under your insurance company or the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA).

FEMA covers homes and buildings in states that are in a "flood zone," or if the flood is in an area that is under a State of Emergency. However, you should always contact FEMA directly and never assume a damage will be covered; as with all government programs, the rules can change based on particular circumstances and policies differ from state to state.

Insurance companies have a policy, which is basically a contract, with the home or business owner stating what will and will not be covered. Generally, insurance companies cover water damages, where the home or business owner could not prevent the hazard.

Unfortunately, many policyholders are shocked when they learn that their claim has been denied when they sustain flood damage. They discover that the insurance company deemed the damage was the result of a "maintenance issue" (what the homeowner could control). Most home and business owners do not even know that there are maintenance issues required of them under their policy. According to the insurance industry, home and building owners are supposed to inspect basements and windows to determine potential leak and flood liabilities!

The most important thing you can do is to carefully review your insurance policy so that you are not caught by surprise for any type of damage that may occur! As well, if you discover any type of water in your home or business, contact a restoration company immediately! The quicker the water is removed, the less damage and expense you will incur.

As you have read, flood damage and water damage are actually two different situations. They make look the same or seem the same, but depending on who is paying are actually worlds apart in definition. If you have water issues in your home or business make sure you understand the situation before you begin.

Jeffrey Cohn
SI Restoration
Water Damage Company
IICRC certified
Stericlean Certified Hoarding Specialist
1-800-356-0484
410-458-5371 ( cell )

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Having Insurance for Water Damage

The First Question Should Be is My Water Damage Loss Covered

The variations of water damage to dwellings can be many and many times homeowners are shocked to learn that their specific policy does not cover a particular type of water loss. Being stuck with a high repair out-of-pocket expense can be disheartening to any owner and should be avoided. Steps can be taken to insure this does not happen. First before disaster strikes policies should be reviewed and questions should be asked the home insurance company. Particular insurance policies should be understood and defined to outline the basic water damage coverage. For instance most policies cover damage that occurs from rain that enters through a hole in the roof caused by winds but not water that rises above slab heights and floods carpets and wood floors. There is no insignificant question that can be asked when so much is at stake. A clear understanding is crucial.

Next Question Asked Is My Property Located in a Flood Zone

Flood zones are identified as a Special Flood Hazard Area or SFHA by the Federal Emergency Management Agency otherwise known as FEMA. These areas are identified on a flood map as high risk because of factors such as close proximity to rivers, coastlines receiving storm surges, consistent weather patterns of heavy rainfall and places of development and erosion. FEMA provides online guides to decide where communities are located within the Flood Map and what the exact individual's risks are. FEMA also provides an enormous amount of information from projected risk scenarios to cost of flooding charts. This information again is critical to decide adequate insurance coverage for a homeowner's water damage loss. Insurance agents can help give this information also.

My House is Flooded I Have Insurance in Place What Do I Do Now

The adage "Time is of the Essence" rings true in this situation. Water damage increases exponentially as the clock ticks. Flooding will travel along the path of least resistance indoors soaking into drywall, carpet, flooring and sub-flooring compromising the integrity of the structure. Emergency water removal will lessen the damage and cost that's required for complete restoration. A water mitigation company should be called immediately. They operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week and should be equipped with water extraction equipment, dehumidifiers and air movers to start the process of completely eliminating all humidity and moisture content from the dwelling. The next step should be contacting the claims department with the insurance carrier to file a claim and start the process. A claim adjuster will be able to answer any questions particular to an individual's policy and issue claim numbers after filing.

Todd Snyder owner and operator of Flood Kings a local Water Damage Restoration Company servicing the Dallas Fort Worth area. Our offices in both Dallas             (972) 816-6487       and Fort Worth             (817) 312-5478       enable us to offer a 30 minute response time to any flood damage or water damage emergency in the metroplex. IICRC trained & certified our technicians are ready to respond 24/7 with a complete line of water removal and water extraction equipment.

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