If your home suffers water damage in a flood, a storm or some other fashion – such as a broken pipe – there may be significant water damage that is immediately obvious. Maybe you can see where the water is coming in through a damaged roof. Maybe there’s standing water in certain parts of the home, so it’s clear that drywall and flooring have been ruined.
When you file an insurance claim, you will definitely want to start with this type of damage. It’s relatively easy to document through pictures and videos, and you can get a quote from a local company to see what it will cost to repair that damage. The insurance company should then issue a payout that covers your costs.
Will that really be enough?
But the problem here is that water damage often goes far below what you can see. The water can seep through different materials and cause extensive and hidden damage inside walls, floors, ceilings and other areas of the home. There’s always the risk of structural issues, such as rot, or damage to electrical components that were never intended to get wet in the first place.
On top of that, you could have issues like mold and mildew in the house, and remediation could be very expensive – but it’s also important because living in a home with black mold can be quite hazardous to your health.
In other words, it’s important to know that the insurance company is actually paying you enough to cover all of the costs you’re facing. If they refuse to do so and you cannot make the repairs on your home or business, then you need to begin looking into all of the legal options at your disposal.