Last month in St. Louis we had a three-day period where it rained incessantly. A lot of our clients had water backing up into their basements. We’ve complied the list of questions that our clients needed answers to after this last round of flooding including a flooded basement. We hope this will help others who have the same questions. 

Does My Homeowner Policy Cover a Flooded Basement?

If the flooding is caused by a clog in the sewer pipe on your premises, you may have coverage if the Sewer Backup/Sump Pump endorsement is on your policy. Read our Sewer Back Up blog post to see.

The Rules of Thumb about Water in the Basement

  1. Caused by Clogged Sewer on Your Premises – The Sewer Back Up/Sump Pump Failure endorsement will provide coverage. The three-day rain caused several sump pumps to start over-heating to the point of failure.
  2. Overcharged Sewer Line – Sometimes after incessant rains (like the one we had in January 2016), it will the fill the sewer line until it can’t hold any more water. If sewer lines discharge into your building causing damage, the MSD will reimburse up to $3,000 in damages with a $100 deductible. Because damages can exceed this limit, the MSD suggests you purchase additional insurance coverage, like a flood policy.
  3. Blocked Sewer Line – If the sewer line collapses or is blocked by tree roots, grease, or other debris that has washed into the sewer, off your premises, it can cause the water to back up into your dwelling.  If this is the cause, MSD will reimburse the building owner or homeowner for the adjusted losses.

Just remember, leaky basements are never covered. (And, yes, we get that question, too.)

For more information, you can check out the MSD’s Blog Post on Backups, or give us a call 314-842-0960.

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