What Causes Flooding and Will my Homeowners Insurance Cover Flood Damage?

Other than fire, there is nothing more destructive to your home than water damage. If you live in New England, spring thaw and other types of extreme weather can cause major flooding. Is your home protected?

What causes flooding?

Large amounts of moving water can occur any time there are extreme weather conditions.

• Sometimes floods develop slowly and allow homeowners time to react. The common type of flood occurs when streams or rivers overflow their banks. Another type of flood is caused after a heavy rain or sudden snowmelt.

• Flash floods. Named appropriately, flash floods can happen in minutes after a heavy rainfall.

• Hurricanes. If you live along coastal New England, you are very familiar with tropical storms. A hurricane creates storm surges along coastal areas and can cause flooding several hundred miles inland.

• Sewer damage can be caused by floods, a blockage in a city sanitary main, or tree roots causing cracks in a sewer line.

Does homeowner's insurance cover water damage?

Most standard homeowner's insurance policies do not cover flooding caused by extreme weather conditions such as spring thaw or generalized flooding that originates from outside your home.

Even backed-up sewers aren't covered on most policies unless you pay extra for this coverage.