Homeowner deductibles have tripled in some cases. National Claims Adjuster, Ron Snouffer, says they’ve increased from 1-2 percent to 3 percent landing in the neighborhood between $8,000.00 to $10,000.00.
“You want to call a mitigation company in first or a plumber in to stop the leak. What happens is a lot of water claims are under $10,000. So, you may not even want to file a claim until you find out how much damage you have. First Pro, First on Site, Action Restoration- are all excellent companies.” He said.
He recommends that homeowners get videos of their home before damage occurs. Snouffer says this is for your records and provides evidence when the adjustors are assessing valuations. Do this, he says, before it starts freezing and a pipe breaks.
Snouffer says there may be exclusions and endorsements in your policy you may not be aware of, such as mold coverage. “If you have mold coverage- it’s likely you will only have up to $10,000.00 in coverage. You want to talk about water damage, not mold, because water damage causes mold.” He said.
Snouffer says to prepare for chilly weather events- that drop below freezing, to help mitigate pipe breaks: make sure you have bib covers on the water hoses outside. Any walls that have plumbing attached to them, make sure you open up your cabinets so heat can flow through the cabinets.