Well, you got it! Are you happy now? The ice and the snow came, just like everyone wanted. Oh, now, you’re sorry. Worried about property damage and insurance claims and such. Carod Properties to the rescue! Everything might now be covered, but we will hopefully help you navigate through what to expect if your home incurs damages. If you are lucky enough to avoid damages, there’s always preparation for next winter.
That picturesque winter scene you’re enjoying today can all too quickly become hazardous to your home’s health, when it begins to melt. If you think your homeowner's insurance policy will cover damage caused by melting snow, that’s not entirely true. Many problems caused by melting snow fall outside the coverage of standard homeowner's insurance policies.
Winter's extreme temperatures and wild weather events can result in damage to your home. Most standard homeowner's insurance policies cover some damage that winter can wreak. However, the coverage is generally limited to the damage that is caused by the initial storm—that is, problems caused by wind, ice, freezing rain and snow. A home damaged by heavy snow, therefore, is covered, but not a home damaged by the result of melting snow.
Water seeping into your home’s foundation, roof leaks caused by faulty inadequate gutters overrun with snow melt, basements flooded by snow runoff—these are all problems that can result from melting snow, and problems that most standard homeowner's insurance policies simply do not cover.
Damage that results from melting snow is considered an "outside" water condition. Problems caused by melting snow and snow runoff conditions are considered the result of "outside" water conditions. Outside water conditions call for another type of policy altogether: flood insurance. (One of those optional “add-ons” that we discussed in our “Homeowners Insurance” article.)
Flood insurance covers nearly every type of problem caused by water outside the home, be it from an overrun river, a stopped-up storm drain and even melting snow. It is not often included in basic policies in regions that are not considered flood ones. Most often it will have to be requested as a part of your policy, at a cost. Additionally, the extent of what flood insurance will cover when it comes to any water-related damage is limited. Most flood insurance policies do not, for instance, cover the contents of a basement. While the structure itself is covered, and larger items like appliances, personal items are not typically covered.
The damage melting snow can do to your home likely will not be covered completely by any insurance policy, so it's a good idea to mitigate, i.e. lessen the possibility of, the damage yourself. Check your roof before the first flake falls, and clean gutters to make sure runoff has a clear path, away from your home. When the snow starts to fall, shovel snow away from your home's foundation and well away from your house to stop melting snow damage before it begins. It’s not just about clearing a path for your car. Proper snow removal can prevent costly damage to your foundation.
When it comes to your home and snow damage, prevention is the way to go. Whether you have coverage built into your policy or you’ve opted in, nothing beats an offense like a great defense. Protect yourself and your home by winter-proofing. And, when the inevitable still happens, make sure you’re covered there, too!
