A homeowner's water damage claim turns on the cause of the water, whether it was sudden or gradual, and whether the policy carries an endorsement for flood or backup. Standard homeowner policies generally respond to sudden and accidental water and generally exclude flood and gradual seepage. Your policy and your insurer decide the claim. This guide sets out the general pattern in Tampa and the state's complaint route, which is the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services. It states no deadlines, statutes or limits.
Key takeaways
- The cause of the water and whether it was sudden or gradual are the first questions an insurer asks
- Standard homeowner policies generally respond to sudden and accidental water and generally exclude flood and long-term seepage
- Flood and water backup are often handled by separate endorsements, and the homeowner should check the policy for them
- Photographs, readings and the record of the cleanup are the evidence a claim depends on
- The homeowner is expected to take reasonable steps to limit further damage, and a call to the line is part of that
- If a claim is denied or handled badly, the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services, takes complaints about insurance
What is the general pattern of a water claim?
The homeowner reports the loss, the insurer assigns an adjuster, the water is stopped and the damage is documented, and the claim is settled against the policy. The steps and the decisions are the same for most water losses.
A water claim usually begins with a report to the insurer, which should be made promptly and in writing as well as by phone. The insurer then assigns an adjuster, who looks at the damage, reads the policy and decides what is covered. The water work runs alongside that process, because the damage has to be stopped and dried whatever the decision on the claim.
The homeowner's job is to report the loss, keep the record and answer the adjuster's questions honestly. The insurer's job is to decide the claim under the policy. The two should not be confused, and a homeowner should not assume the policy covers a loss simply because the loss happened.
What does sudden water mean, compared with gradual water?
Sudden and accidental water, such as a burst pipe, is generally treated differently from water that seeps or builds up over a long time. The cause and the duration are central to how the claim is read.
A standard homeowner policy is written around sudden and accidental losses, and a burst supply line that releases water in a short time is the kind of loss such a policy generally responds to. Gradual seepage, long-term leaks and wear are generally excluded, because they are a maintenance matter rather than a sudden event. A leak that ran for months behind a wall can be treated differently from one that burst in an afternoon.
Because the distinction depends on the facts, the readings and the photographs taken at the start of the loss matter. The record of how long the water was present is part of the evidence the insurer will ask for.
Do flood and backup need their own cover?
Often, yes. Flood from storm water and water that backs up from drains or sewers are commonly handled by separate endorsements or policies, and the homeowner should check the policy for them.
A homeowner should not assume that a standard policy covers flood or backup. Storm water that enters through the ground, and water that comes back up through a drain, are generally handled separately, and an endorsement may be needed to cover them. The policy wording and the declarations page show what is included, and the homeowner should read them before a loss rather than after.
This is one of the most useful questions to ask an agent when the policy is bought or renewed. The answer is written in the policy, and the insurer decides how it applies to a particular loss.
| Water cause | General pattern for a standard policy | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Burst supply line, sudden | Generally responds to sudden and accidental water | The policy's water and cause wording |
| Storm rain through a roof or window | Often responds, depending on the opening and the wording | Whether the opening was damaged by the storm |
| Storm water through the ground | Generally treated as flood, often needing separate cover | Any flood endorsement or separate policy |
| Drain or sewer backup | Often handled by a separate endorsement | Any water backup endorsement |
| Long-term seepage or wear | Generally excluded as a maintenance matter | The exclusion wording and the duration of the leak |
What should a homeowner photograph and keep?
Photographs of the water line, the entry, the rooms and the damaged items before anything is moved. Keep the readings, the invoices, the notes of calls and the list of items lost.
The photographs taken before the cleanup are the strongest evidence of the loss, and they should show the water line against a fixed object so the depth can be judged. Photographs of each room and each damaged item should be taken from the same spots if possible. A homeowner should keep the notes of each call with the time, the person spoken to and what was agreed.
The invoices, the readings and the list of items lost are the financial record of the claim. Each one should be kept with the others, and copies should be made before any of them is sent to the insurer.
What does mitigation mean, and why does the insurer care?
Mitigation means taking reasonable steps to stop further damage, such as shutting off the water, removing standing water and starting the drying. Policies generally expect the homeowner to do this, and the insurer cares because it limits the loss.
A homeowner is generally expected to take reasonable steps to limit further damage after a loss. Shutting off the source, moving items out of the wet area and calling for drying are the usual steps. The insurer cares about mitigation because a loss that is stopped early is smaller and cheaper to settle, and a loss that is allowed to spread may be partly excluded for the damage that followed.
A call to the line on (833) 490-5225, made as soon as the water is seen, is itself a record of mitigation. The line answers 24/7, and the call is noted on the record for the insurer.
What does the adjuster ask?
The adjuster asks when the water was found, what caused it, how long it was present, what was damaged and what has been done to stop the damage. The homeowner's answers should match the photographs and the record.
An adjuster will want to see the damage, read the photographs and the readings, and talk through the timeline with the homeowner. The questions are routine, and the answers should be accurate and consistent with the record. A homeowner who does not know an answer should say so rather than guess, and should note the question to answer later.
The adjuster's decision is a decision under the policy. If the homeowner disagrees, the policy and the insurer's own review process are the first route, and the complaint route described below is the next step.
What if the claim is denied or badly handled?
The homeowner can ask the insurer to review the decision and can take a complaint about insurance to the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services.
A homeowner who disagrees with a denial should ask the insurer in writing for the reasons and for a review. The policy will describe the insurer's own process for disagreement. If that does not resolve the matter, the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services, takes consumer complaints about homeowner insurance, and the homeowner should first contact the insurer, as the division asks.
The division's website and its consumer services pages describe how to file a complaint and what information to include. This guide does not set out timelines or the steps of that process, which the division publishes and which may change, so the homeowner should check them directly.
How should a homeowner describe the loss to the insurer?
Describe the loss plainly and in order: when the water was seen, what was seen, what was done to stop it and what has been damaged. Stick to what was observed and do not guess at a cause.
The insurer will ask for a clear account, and a clear account is one that matches the photographs and the records. A homeowner should say when the water was first seen, how it was seen, where it came from if that is known, and what was done. If the cause is not known, the honest answer is that it is not known yet, and the readings and any repair trade's findings will help to settle it.
A homeowner should keep a copy of what was said and when, and should send the insurer a written summary of the loss with the photographs attached. A written summary is easier to check than a phone call, and it gives the homeowner a record of what was reported.
Does the homeowner need a lawyer?
Many claims are settled without one. A lawyer or a public adjuster can help where the claim is large, disputed or complicated, and the homeowner decides whether that help is worth the cost.
Most homeowner water claims are settled between the homeowner and the insurer's adjuster, using the photographs, the records and the policy. Where a claim is disputed, is large or raises a question about the cause, the homeowner may want advice. This guide does not recommend any particular adviser, and the homeowner can choose the help they need.
Whatever the route, the homeowner should keep the record complete. The complaint route described above, through the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services, is one option that is open to a homeowner who has been unable to resolve a claim with the insurer.
Frequently asked questions
Will my policy pay for water damage?
It depends on the cause, whether the water was sudden or gradual, and the endorsements on the policy. Standard policies generally respond to sudden and accidental water. The insurer decides each claim under the policy.
Is storm water through the ground covered?
Water that enters through the ground is generally treated as flood, and it is often handled by a separate endorsement or policy. Check your policy.
What if the damage happened over months?
Long-term seepage and wear are generally excluded, so the insurer will look closely at how long the water was present. Keep the record and be accurate about the timeline.
Should I call the line before the insurer?
Report the loss to your insurer promptly and in writing, and call the line on (833) 490-5225 to stop further damage. The two calls can happen close together, and both should be noted.
Who do I complain to if I am unhappy with the claim?
First the insurer, in writing. If that does not resolve it, the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services, takes consumer complaints about homeowner insurance.
Does the water company decide the claim?
No. The water company removes the water and dries the damage. The insurer decides the claim, and the company's record is evidence for that decision.
Sources
- Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services
- University of Florida IFAS Extension, EDIS publications
This guide is general information for Hillsborough County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.