If you have recently discovered that you need to hire a foundation repair contractor in Baton Rouge for your home, then you might be wondering if it’s covered by homeowners insurance and if it is, what exactly is covered. It’s important to look into your homeowner’s insurance to see what exactly is included. You might be surprised at what specific things are not handled by homeowners’ insurance.
Look into what is commonly thought to be covered, but actually isn’t. Either way, homeowner’s insurance is important and you should look deep into what is covered and what you have to pay out of pocket. Let’s go over what exactly is covered by homeowners insurance and if foundation repairs are included.
What Foundation Repairs Are Covered By Homeowners Insurance?
First off, your homeowner’s policy might be different from what’s listed here, but this is a basic list of what is usually included. Remember to always contact your policy plan agent to see what exactly they pay for and what you’re responsible for. This should get you started on what to expect. You will usually find the foundation coverage under the “dwelling” portion of your policy.
Typically, homeowners insurance includes usual disasters and issues that may cause damage to your home. These disasters are specific and this is what your insurance policy defines. For example, your insurance policy won’t necessarily cover just “water damage” but instead it will cover “water damage caused by plumbing or HVAC.” These specifics are important to pay attention to when looking at your policy.
Here’s a list of damage that your homeowner’s insurance policy will most likely cover :
- Lightning or fire
- Explosions
- Damage caused by vehicles
- Collapse due to weight of snow, ice, rain, or sleet
- Riots or civil disturbances
- Windstorms
- Fallen trees
- Water damage from plumbing or HVAC
- Vandalism
- Damage caused by aircrafts
This is a list of damages caused by certain events that should be handled by your homeowner’s insurance policy. Remember to always double-check or set up a meeting with your insurance provider to make sure.
What Foundation Repairs Are Not Covered By Homeowners Insurance?
Typically, homeowners insurance won’t cover certain damage caused by specific events. One of these is normal wear and tear to your home. Sometimes people assume that the “easier repairs” such as normal deterioration or something that happens gradually over time, but unfortunately that is actually not covered by most homeowners insurance providers. The most common foundation issues are, unfortunately, not covered by homeowners insurance.
Here is a list of damage that your homeowner’s insurance typically will not pay for:
- Natural settling, shrinking, building, expanding, or cracking of the foundation
- Wear and tear, marring, or deterioration
- Earthquakes
- Flooding
- Tree root pressure
- Sinkholes
- Rodents, insects, and vermin
- Faulty design or construction
These are typically not paid for by an insurance company. Of course, again, always contact your insurance agent to see what exactly is written into your custom policy. Also, be sure to be accurate with what caused the damage to your home, because you may think that it is one of these, but it might’ve been something else entirely that is included.
How Do You Know What Your Homeowners Insurance Covers?
To find out what is covered by your homeowner’s insurance you can contact their office and ask or you can double-check your insurance policy by reading it yourself and it will give you all the information you’re looking for. It’s also important that when you get your homeowner’s insurance policy that you look in-depth at what is written in. This will help save you later on.
It’s important to note that typically when you get the homeowners insurance that they allow for add ons. These add ons can consist of some of the instances that we mentioned above that are not typically covered. It might be a smart decision to get certain add ons for the insurance policy if you live in areas where the damage might be common.
For example, if you live in an area where earthquakes are quite common or you are worried about the damage done from recurring shaking and shifting, then you should maybe consider adding that to your policy. This will help give you peace of mind when it comes to natural disasters and the unforeseen damage done by them.
What Can You Do If You’re Not Covered By Homeowners Insurance?
If you aren’t covered by homeowners insurance then you might be very disappointed and probably quite stressed. However, it’s important that you still contact the homeowner’s insurance company just to be sure. Remember that when filing a claim with your insurance agency that you need to truly find the root of your problem.
For example, you might have flooding that has damaged your home and if you file the claim just under “flooding” then you will not be covered. But, if you look more into it and find out that a fallen tree is actually what busted a pipe and caused flooding, then you can have the service paid for, likely after investing a small amount to pay the deductible. Always find out what exactly caused the damage to find out if you are covered. If you still are denied your claim and you feel that the damage should be covered, then you can file a dispute.
Let a Foundation Repair Contractor in Baton Rouge Assist You with Your Homeowner’s Insurance Claim Today!
Homeowners insurance is very important and is required, so it’s important to know exactly what is covered by it. Foundation repairs are covered by insurance policies, but it is very situation-specific. Homeowners insurance unfortunately doesn’t cover a lot of very common damages done to the home, but rather covers specific cases of damage. Always look into your policy to see exactly what has been included for you. You shouldn’t stress about hiring a foundation repair contractor to fix your foundation issues, either. A reputable one will help walk you through your insurance policy and even file a claim on your behalf.
Also, note that foundation issues are very important and so they need to be repaired as soon as possible so that it does not cause any extensive damage that may be harder to repair. There are other options on how to pay for getting damages fixed that you’re not covered by. You should keep up with maintenance and inspections on your home’s foundation to ensure that you are up to date and it will save you money and time when it comes to foundation repairs.
