Sump Pump Failure & Homeowner's Insurance

2/2/2018 (Permalink)

Yesterday we talked about sump pumps; how they work and why they’re important.  Now imagine the potential damage to your home should your sump pump stop working for any reason; whether it be due to a power failure during a spring storm, or the simple mechanical failure of the pump itself.  Without a functioning pump to pump the water out of your sump crock, and up out of your home, the crock will overflow into your basement, soaking your carpet and drywall if your basement is finished, and possibly destroying furniture, important documents and anything else you may have stored in your basement.  And depending upon things like the water table and soil conditions in your area, the elevation of your home, and the amount of time the pump is out of order, the amount of water can be significant, causing havoc even in an unfinished basement.        

Many people may assume that their homeowner’s insurance will cover this type of damage.  But did you know that in most cases, a standard homeowner’s insurance policy does not provide coverage for water damage caused by sump pump failure.  However, this type of coverage can be very affordable and can easily be added on to your standard homeowner’s policy in the form of what’s called an endorsement.  When this type of endorsement is active, it provides for coverage of property damage caused by water that has managed to back up and into your home from pipes, sewer systems, drains, sump pumps, water-service, or any additional system that transfers fluids to and from your home.  Now is a perfect time of the year to check with your insurance agent to see if you have this important coverage, and if not, to add it before the heavy spring rains.