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3 Types of Basement Leaks that Home Insurance Doesn’t Cover

Wet, leaking basement.

Dealing with a basement leak can be an incredibly stressful and disruptive ordeal, challenging both your patience and your home’s integrity.

The situation becomes even more complex and frustrating when it comes to engaging with your insurance provider to secure coverage for the damages incurred.

Convincing an insurance company to contribute to the repair costs can feel like navigating through a maze of policies and exclusions, making an already difficult situation feel nearly insurmountable.

However, not all hope is lost. There are some leaks that your provider will help you recover from. It’s important to know the difference between an insurable leak and one your provider may dismiss. 

Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Basement Leaks? 

Homeowner’s insurance tends to protect homeowners from moisture problems that originate inside of the home itself.

Hydrostatic pressure can play a role here, but that role will need to be classified before an insurance company opts to help you pay for the repairs you need to restore your home’s value. 

You can usually count on your insurance provider to honor claims involving: 

  • Faulty water heaters 
  • Broken or burst pipes 
  • Piping problems 
  • Large appliance malfunctions 

Again, it may not be your insurance provider that initially puts up the funds you need to restore your home.

If it’s an appliance that’s caused the bulk of the damage in your basement, your provider may instead direct you toward that appliance’s manufacturer. As long as the product is under warranty, the manufacturer may have to help you pay for both the repairs you need and a replacement appliance. 

That said, if your appliance’s warranty has expired, and it is the sole cause of a leak in your home, your homeowner’s insurance should compensate you for the damage. Not only that, but your provider should either purchase a replacement appliance for you or provide you with the funds to do similarly. 

When Won’t Your Insurance Provider Cover a Basement Leak? 

As mentioned, insurance providers only cover some types of basement leaks. If it appears that the leak in question formed due to the work of forces outside of your home, you may not be able to file an insurance claim with your provider. 

Some of the leaks most commonly denied insurance support include: 

1. Environmental Leaks

If you live in a particularly damp area or below sea level, your home may be more prone to flooding and leaking than others. If you choose not to invest in home waterproofing measures, those leaks grow all the more likely, to the point where they may be common. Unfortunately, most insurance providers will dismiss leaks in homes below sea level or in marshy areas, attributing them to the work of nature. 

2. Leaks Caused by the Weather

If you live in an area that sees a significant amount of snow or rain on a yearly basis, insurance providers may be able to connect your basement leak to the local weather. Once again, insurance providers may look to deny these sorts of claims, as the source of your damage will not have originated within the confines of your home. 

3. Basement Seepage

While it isn’t always easy for insurance providers to identify seepage, not to mention distinguish it from a leak, they’ll still go to the effort. Seepage and leaks do have similar effects on your home, but seepage—the result of dry weather followed by an abrupt rain—explicitly begins outside of your home. While this kind of damage can expose your pipes and internal appliances to the conditions that may lead them to fail, insurance providers will still attribute those failures to forces outside of your control and thus not provide you with the funds you may need to invest in comprehensive repairs. 

Water pooling in yard.

Breaking Down Basement Leaks 

Hydrostatic pressure isn’t the only force that can cause your basement to start leaking, but it is one of the most prevalent. This pressure starts to build outside of your basement when moisture forces your building materials to change temperature. Those materials will expand and contract and will suffer from a severe amount of stress. Over time, those materials can begin to fracture, compromising the structural integrity of your home while also allowing more moisture indoors, exacerbating the problem at hand. 

Of course, hydrostatic pressure tends to go hand in hand with many of the other forces that can cause your basement to start leaking. Some of the most common causes of basement leaks that either don’t include or work alongside hydrostatic pressure include: 

Repair Basement Leaks with Help from FSM

Regardless of whether your insurance will cover the cost of repairs, the reality is that the damage needs to be fixed to prevent further deterioration of your home’s structure and to maintain a healthy living environment.

Foundation Systems of Michigan offers comprehensive and proven solutions to address basement leaks and related issues.

With services including interior drainage systems, sump pumps, and dehumidifiers, we are ready to tackle water problems at their core. By opting for these reliable methods, you can safeguard your basement against future leaks and moisture-related concerns.

We offer free inspections, providing homeowners with an opportunity to assess their needs and explore the best solutions tailored to their specific situation.

Ready to get started? Get in touch with our professional team today to schedule a free inspection and repair quote.

FAQs

While waterproofing paint may sound like a good idea, it may not be an effective solution for window leaks, which typically require more comprehensive repair methods. 

Remember, resolving leaks in basement windows promptly is crucial in maintaining the integrity and safety of your home. 

In winter, the thawing of frozen ground and snow can create excess water around your foundation, which can lead to leaks.

Look for a company with certified professionals, good reviews, a solid track record, transparency in pricing, and warranties on their work. Always ask for references and verify their credentials.

Leah Leitow

Leah Leitow

Content Writer

Leah is a Content Writer for Groundworks with nearly ten years of experience working in the foundation repair industry. Her experience ranges from working with homeowners to find the right solution to training inspectors and staff. In her background as a Michigan journalist, she gained invaluable insight into people's lives throughout our state. Leah lives in metro Detroit with her husband and two sons.

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