Water Damage May Just Be One Problem
Few things are worse than making an insurance claim for damage to your home or business and having it denied. You suffered the damage, the inconvenience, the cost of drying, cleaning, and replacement. Then you are told, “sorry, your claim does not meet policy parameters.”
Defining Time
One of the significant insurance claims problem “parameters” is “period of time.” To most people, a period of time has something to do with common sense and a particular situation. A fraction of a second may matter to an Olympic athlete, but not so much to someone waiting for a ride to work.
If we talk about water damages in your home or business, we have a different situation. To most people, time is still time. A sudden flood causes damage to walls, floors, and carpets in a short period of time. A leaking pipe may cause damage over a more extended period of time before you notice it. You may have been on vacation, staying with family or friends, or just not aware of that drip, drip, drop behind a wall, or under a floor. The pipe may have been leaking water for a period of time. What matters, though, is two things:
- How your insurance policy defines a “period of time.”
- What your insurance company says its definition of “period of time” means.
Most insurance companies have agreed on a standard definition, but some may not have. So it pays to know where your insurance company stands. Loss and damage from a “long term and repeated seepage” of water may mean a period of time greater than 14 days. Your insurance company will also define what it means by “day.” If your policy is not specific on this point, you may find yourself with a “not covered” response when you make your claim.
What To Do
If you discover a leak that may have been ongoing for “a period of time,” reach out to Spotless immediately. We say this because we have a lot o experience doing two things:
- Dealing with water damage in your home or business.
- Knowing how different insurance companies typically respond to a water damage claim.
We are not legal experts, but we do have a lot of knowledge in working with insurance companies to help our customers. We help you to navigate the details which help make a valid claim that meets your insurance company’s “parameters.” So, if you do find a leak, call us first and call us fast. If you would like to learn more about how we help our customers, or if you have just discovered a leak, click here to contact us!
