Your Homeowners insurance policy likely does not cover water damage from sewer or drain backup or broken sump pumps. You will need to purchase additional coverage to insure against such damage. Don’t wait until your pipes burst, appliances leak or for your basement to flood before you look into what exactly your homeowners insurance covers.

The following are some common water-damage scenarios to be cautious for:

At 10 below zero, your water pipes freeze and burst. Your floor is now covered in 6 inches of water.
Water leaks from your backyard pool, ruining your manicured lawn and flooding your basement.
Your washing machine overflows, flooding the basement.
A sewer backs up, flooding your basement.
Water seeps from the ground into your basement, damaging your foundation and interior.
During a heavy rainstorm, water leaks through your roof. The roof is damaged along with your furniture.
Your bathtub overflows.
A nearby lake or river overflows its banks, causing a flash flood in your living room.

Sump Pump

Another mechanism to be aware of which can be frustrating and not to mention damaging is having a broken sump pump. Your current Homeowners policy may not cover such damage.

How do you know if you need a backup sump pump? If you live in an area where floods and thunderstorms are most likely to occur and where your power can be knocked out, you may consider the need to buy a self-powered sump pump, otherwise known as a support pump. This support pump is used as a backup to your primary sump pump if it fails.

Two types of backup sump pumps to consider are:

One that runs on a rechargeable 12 Volt battery
One that is hooked up to your home’s water system and operates with water pressure

Below are a number of other reasons why your electric sump pump may fail:

Power failure
It may be burned out, unplugged or jammed with mud or stone
A broken impeller or drive shaft
The float switch is stuck or broken
A tripped circuit breaker, a blown fuse or damaged power feed line
Too much water or a clogged intake screen
A clogged or frozen discharge pipe

A Cooper Insures Licensed Agent is eager to assist you with special insurance needs. Call us at 1-888-878-8875.