Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?

Water damage is one of the most common and most confusing home insurance claims. While many policies will cover some types of water damage, it’s important to note that all policies are different and yours should be reviewed. Generally, whether your policy will help pay for repairs often depends on how the water entered your home and how quickly the problem was addressed. While most policies cover sudden, accidental damage, they won’t cover issues caused by long-term wear, ignored maintenance, or outside flooding. If you’re sorting through a wet floor, damaged drywall, or a soaked ceiling, understanding your coverage is the first step toward getting your home back to normal. Here’s what homeowners need to know about when insurance typically will, and won’t, step in to help.

When Homeowners Insurance Does Cover Water Damage

Homeowners insurance typically covers water damage when it’s sudden, accidental, and not caused by long-term neglect. In most cases, if something breaks unexpectedly and causes immediate damage to the structure of your home, your policy will step in. Common covered situations include:

Burst Pipes or Sudden Plumbing Failures: Events like frozen pipes, supply line bursts, or a water heater rupture usually fall under covered claims because they happen without warning.

Appliance Failures: When a washing machine hose snaps or a dishwasher suddenly leaks, the resulting damage is often covered, though this may not be the case if the appliance wasn’t properly maintained.

HVAC or Water Heater Breakdowns: If a malfunctioning appliance in your heating, cooling, or water-heating system leads to water entering the walls, floors, or ceilings, the damage is generally considered accidental and eligible for coverage.

Firefighting Water Damage: Water used to extinguish a fire is almost always covered. Even in situations where the fire was very small, a significant amount of water may be used to control it. Insurance typically pays for the resulting damage.

When Homeowners Insurance Does Not Cover Water Damage

While insurance can help after a sudden accident, it won’t cover water damage caused by ongoing issues, ignored maintenance, or water entering from outside the home. Some of the most common exclusions are:

Gradual or Neglected Leaks: If water has been dripping behind a wall for weeks or months, it’s typically classified as a maintenance issue by insurance. If the issue is known, like an old roof, worn-out caulking, or corroded pipes, any resulting damage is usually not covered either.

Flooding From Outside the Home: Water entering the home from outside is considered a flood, and is only covered by a separate flood insurance policy.

Sewer or Drain Backups (Unless Added as Optional Coverage): Most policies won’t pay for damage caused by a backed-up drain, sewer line, or sump pump failure unless you’ve purchased specific add-on coverage.

Damage From Lack of Heat in Winter: If you left your home unheated and the pipes froze as a result, insurers may deny the claim.

Moving Forward After Water Damage

Water damage can be overwhelming, but knowing what your homeowners insurance covers can make the entire situation easier to manage. Policies generally protect you from sudden, accidental events, but they draw a hard line when it comes to gradual damage or outside water. When you’re dealing with the aftermath of a leak or plumbing failure, fast action and clear documentation are key to moving your claim forward. It’s a good idea to occasionally review your policy to know what situations your insurance is likely to cover.

True Restore is here to help you through every step, responding in under 2 hours, assessing the damage, documenting the affected areas, and restoring your home safely. If you have your insurance policy, we’re happy to look over the policy with you and suggest next steps. If you’re facing water damage or need help understanding your next steps, our team is ready to assist.