Why the Definition of a Flood is Important
Before we go on about what is a flood, maybe we need to talk about why the definition of a flood is important.
To put it simply, property insurance policies exclude flood. There it is. Flood is excluded. So it’s really important to understand what an insurance carrier calls a flood.
Defining Flood
In Pittsburgh, it’s common knowledge that the ‘Mon Wharf’ will completely fill with water after heavy rains. And yes, that is a flood. However, for the purposes of insurance coverage there are other scenarios that would also be floods.
For instance, a water main break in front of your house that causes damage. Bad news, your homeowners insurance won’t pay for the damages. That’s a flood.
Another example is heavy rains that overwhelm your french drains causing a wet basement. You guessed it; that’s a flood too.
So unfortunately, even if you live on top of a hill you still have the possibility of a flood insurance claim.
So what good is my property insurance policy?
I get it. We look at our homeowners insurance, business insurance and other property policies and expect them to be there when we need them. With the big gaps in coverage I just pointed out, what does a property policy cover. Well, lots of stuff. Here are some examples of claims that can be covered without flood insurance.