April Showers Bring...Water in Your Basement

4/16/2018 (Permalink)

While the old saying “April showers bring May flowers” may be true; April showers (and even April snow storms!) can also bring water in your basement.

This time of the year water in your basement typically comes from one of the following sources:

1. Water leaks in from the outside through a basement window or other opening
2. Water overflows from your sump pump crock as the result of failed sump pump
3. Water seeps up through cracks in your concrete floor or foundation, again often as the result of a failed sump pump
4. Your sewer system backs up into your basement

But did you know that a standard homeowner’s insurance policy will not provide coverage for water damage caused by any of these four sources?!  However, coverage for three of the four can be easily and inexpensively added on to a standard homeowner’s policy in the form of what’s called an endorsement.  When this type of endorsement is active, it provides coverage of property damage caused by water that has managed to back up 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 an excellent time to check with your homeowner’s insurance agent to ensure you have this very important coverage!  And for more on sump pumps and how they work, see our blog post from February 1, 2018.