Homeowners insurance may help cover damage caused by leaking plumbing if the leak is sudden and accidental, such as if a washing machine supply hose suddenly breaks or a pipe bursts. However, homeowners insurance does not cover damage resulting from poor maintenance.

When recharge occurs in an unconfined aquifer, the water table rises to a higher elevation, much like water level in a bucket will rise as water is added to it. One inch of precipitation moving underground to the water table will cause the groundwater level to rise considerably more than an inch.

How to Maximize Recovery on your Water Damage Claim

1. MAXIMIZING YOUR WATER DAMAGE CLAIM.
2. STOP THE CAUSE OF DAMAGE.
3. KEEP EVIDENCE OF YOUR DAMAGE.
4. REPORT YOUR DAMAGE TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
5. WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE IS IT – FLOOD OR WATER?
6. HIRE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER or INSURANCE CLAIM LAWYER.
7. AVOID USING INSURANCE COMPANY VENDORS.

It does not cover water damage due to a maintenance issue, like a slow leak or leaving your window open during a rainstorm. Comprehensive coverage is generally optional, although your lender may require it if you have an auto loan.

Driving through water can damage: If the rotors are extremely hot, exposure to water can warp them. The result is your car will vibrate when you try to brake. Water may get into the brake lines and cause brake failure immediately or later, when you least expect it.

If water levels creep up into the seats, doors, and dash, the water damage will total your car. Repairs could exceed your car’s actual cash value and it’s simply not worthwhile for your car insurance to proceed with repairs instead of calling it a total loss.

A flooded vehicle can be repaired by an experienced mechanic, not you! The bulk of these vehicles will be repaired, regrettably, and the way to do it is not exactly rocket science. This is basically what you should do with the engine. Check the oil dipstick to see if there is any water contamination.

Almost any car can drive through one inch of water safely, at low speed. Very few vehicles can drive through six feet of water.

Water damage can take weeks or months to affect a car. To avoid buying a flood-damaged car, experts recommend several precautions. One is to get a vehicle history report from a company like AutoCheck, Carfax, VinAudit or the nonprofit National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Buying a flood-damaged car comes with a lot of risk. However, a wet past doesn’t necessarily make a used car a bad buy, either. If the water level wasn’t deep enough to wreak havoc with the electronics, the car may end up with rust and corrosion but isn’t always doomed for major operational issues.

Suppose a used Lexus you want to buy is worth $15,000 in the private party person-to-person market. A flooded vehicle should be 25% less, then another $2,000 lower to allow for repairs. That flooded Lexus should then sell for: $15,000 – $3,750 -$2,000 = $9,250.

The process through which a vehicle’s title is altered to remove information it should normally contain is known as title washing. In many cases, title washing is done to remove branding that occurs after a vehicle has suffered major damage. But a car can also be title washed to conceal its true lienholder.

You can get a free VIN check at the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), VehicleHistory.com or iSeeCars.com/VIN. Just pop in your car’s digits and these sites will do the VIN lookup and give you information on the vehicle.

Curbstoning is when a dealer poses as a private seller to sell a car. By curbstoning, a dealer can avoid having to comply with the same regulations dealers are upheld to. It could also mean unknowingly buying a car that has been in a flood and suffered severe water damage.

A car with a clean title simply indicates that it has never been deemed a total loss, otherwise known as a salvage car. With a clean title, a car might carry the balance of its new car warranty and has slightly higher resale value. The car’s title is affected only by car insurance claims.