Who is Responsible for Payment During a Water Damage Insurance Claim

6/7/2021 (Permalink)

The sight of water damage

When there is a water damage in a home and someone calls us out to the field, some frequent questions that we get are:

• How much will it cost me?
• Should I get an estimate first?
• Will my insurance cover this?

The short answer is we don't exactly know. The best we can do is give an approximate ballpark for what something might cost, but it is not common to provide an estimate upfront.

As a restoration company, we do our best to make sure our customers understand payment upfront and aren't left with a unexpected bill at the end of the process. This description applies for the calls that we get the most: a pipe from the house leaking, affecting the surrounding walls, flooring, and bedrooms. It can be difficult to identify the extent of the damage: Is there water between walls we can't see? Is subflooring affected? Are walls wet behind showers or cabinets? Another unknown is how long will the drying take; in most cases it takes 3-5 days to dry an affected area. 

While all insurance companies are different, most typically cover water damage restoration from a leaky pipe as long as it's sudden, unexpected, and accidental. Circumstances and coverages can differ based on individual's insurance policies. 

The best service we can offer is to inspect your home before you open up a claim, so that we can offer our professional opinion on what should be done. SERVPRO is a preferred vendor for most major insurance companies, so give us a call as soon as you suspect any water damage.