Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Foundation Problems?
Your home’s foundation is the support apparatus for the rest of the dwelling’s structure. As a result, it’s easy to assume that your homeowners insurance will cover any damage to the foundation under all circumstances. However, this is not necessarily the case.
While, yes, your home insurance will cover foundation damage, it will only do so in qualifying circumstances. All in all, the cause of the damage will be one of the deciding factors in determining whether your home insurance will pay to repair your foundation.
What Does Home Insurance Cover?
Homeowners insurance is not unlimited coverage for every household maintenance task. It’s only designed to protect you in the face of unexpected, unavoidable accidents in your home. Therefore, regular maintenance costs, like a faulty AC system or leaky roof, will not have coverage under your policy. However, damage done from a sudden hazard like a fire, severe weather or break-in.
Where Does Foundation Damage Fit into Your Home Insurance Policy?
To figure out if you can file a home insurance claim for foundation damage, you need to figure out what happened to cause the damage.
In many cases, foundation cracks or other defects will result from simple wear & tear and terrain shifts that occur over time. Additionally, it’s a regular part of your household maintenance duties to inspect and repair your foundations. Therefore, if your foundation simply needs regular maintenance and typical repairs, your homeowners insurance is unlikely to cover you.
However, there are situations where a disaster will damage your foundation, and in these cases, your homeowners insurance will cover the damage. For example, you’ll typically have coverage for:
- Water damage from a broken pipe or water backup. You would need to carry coverage for the specific type of water damage that caused damage to your foundation.
- Falling trees or any other objects that impact your foundation.
- A covered structural collapse that cracks or separates your foundation.
- Gas explosions and fires.
When it comes to coverage for earthquakes and earth movements, you might have to take a few additional steps. You will likely need to add an earthquake insurance endorsement to your home insurance policy or to buy a separate earthquake insurance policy.
What if You Need to Move Out for Repairs?
Foundation repairs often involve major structural work to your home that could cause you to temporarily have to move out. If your home insurance covers your claim for the repairs, it may also help with any additional living expenses.
If you have questions about how to get the appropriate homeowners insurance to protect your foundation, contact one of our agents at Lisa Broadbent Insurance at (302) 731-0044. We’re committed to helping you always maximize your plan to your advantage.
