Your property suffered water damage? Don’t worry, all you need is to get in touch with A-Z Claims Adjusters South Florida, prepare your insurance policy and wait until you are appropriately compensated. We will make sure that you get enough money to recover from the damage you suffered. Having an insurance policy doesn’t guarantee that you will get enough resources to cover everything. And if you don’t know the law, don’t have enough experience and don’t know how to properly file water damage insurance claims – you might receive only a fraction of the sum you could get if you hired the pros. This is why we are here! Call us and have all your problems caused by water solved in no time!
What does water damage insurance cover?
It depends on your policy. Therefore, when negotiating a policy, make sure that it covers every potential water damage that might take place at your home, or in your office. If that is the kind of policy you own, have no worries. A-Z Claims Adjusters are here to handle everything and help you get the highest possible amount from your insurance that will cover the damage caused by water. Here are some examples of water damage (most common) you should include in your insurance policy:
- Plumbing supply system failures
- Toilet failures
- Washing machine failures
- Water heater failures
- Drain system failures
Keep in mind that your insurance policy may not cover everything
Let’s say that you’re filing water damage insurance claims, only to find out that what happened to you was not part of the insurance policy in the first place. Quite a shocker, indeed. So, what you need to do in order to determine what your policy covers and what it does not cover, you need to read it first. Second, you should contact our insurance adjusters just to be sure what your claim actually means. The truth is that most insurance companies will try to avoid paying the sum owed if they can legally do so. This is why it would be for the best to call us in your hour of need.
Okay, so what does water do to your home?
Water damage insurance claims are a very common type of claims, ranking 2nd, right behind hurricanes. Of course, we’re factoring in both the number of damaged homes and total money lost. Water usually leaks from the pipes that broke or cracked at some point. Water seeping through these cracks on the pipes may seem minuscule, however, if the system is constantly in usage, as is the case with a toilet, it can cause quite some damage. This damage accumulates slowly and over time, making it very hard to notice. Water can destroy many materials, given time, of course. These include:
- Wood easily sustains damage from both mold and water itself;
- Metal will begin to corrode after a certain while, with a few exceptions;
- Walls will certainly deteriorate quickly;
- Stuff that usually lies on the floor will sustain damage – take carpets for example.
Of course, not all leaking water is equally dangerous
The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) divides water damage into several broad categories. This is especially important if when you’re filing your water damage insurance claims, considering that these “classes” help determine how serious the damage is. The classes are:
- Class 1 is the least serious, as it covers only a small part of the room, and evaporates in a slow fashion;
- Class 2 has gotten hold of the room, and a little bit on the walls (no more than 61cm or 24in). It vaporizes at a slow, steady rate;
- The 3rd Class of water damage is much more serious. At this point, water comes from the ceiling, or somewhere else overhead, which means that the entire room is now full of water.
There is also Class 4 for specific cases, such as when the water is beneath the wooden floor, causing the planks to crack. It doesn’t fall specifically into the 3 categories above, hence the separate classification. Your water damage insurance claims will usually relate to one of these four categories.
Water can also be dangerous
Water is not only a source of inconvenience, but it can also, in some more extreme circumstances, present a clear health hazard. This is why IICRC has another classification at hand, this time though, it relates to the qualities of water itself:
- 1st category of water is the clean water – usually comes from water supply lines that broke; It doesn’t pose a threat nor an inconvenience, hence they call it “clear water“;
- 2nd category of water is one that contains at least some form of damaging matter, for example, chemicals or bacteria that can become a discomfort or health hazard. This water is called “grey water“;
- 3rd category carries the name “black water“, and it’s completely unhygienic. It is also a health hazard most of the time.
When you’re filing water damage insurance claims, it’s obvious that it’s serious business. Of course, the insurance companies will beg to differ. That’s why we recommend calling A-Z claims adjusters – your concerns are ours and we will do our best to make sure that these concerns are taken seriously.
So, what can you do?
If you’re looking to file water damage insurance claims, you’re in the right spot. Water damage insurance claims are usually taken very seriously. It may sound benign, unlike say flood damage, but water can damage your property in a lot of unexpected ways. So, how do you protect yourself against all forms of water damage?
- First off, avoid dangerous areas as much as possible.
- Second, if there’s a danger – remove it. But picture or videotape all the evidence that you can. Why? Simply because A-Z Claims Adjusters are going to have an easier time representing your interests and saving you money.
Remember – do not go into this alone. You’re (most likely) now aware of the full extent of the law, so hire the professionals so you don’t get only part of the sum. Why should you hire a claims adjuster? Because the insurance company certainly will!