
A water damage event his hit your home, and one of the first things you should do is to check your insurance policy or call your insurance agent and determine if your damage is covered. Even though you may be faced with plenty of damage and the beginning of mold, all homeowners policies dont automatically cover all types of water damage.
Once you understand what your policy covers, then you can quickly begin to remediate the damage to your property and begin to get the information to file a claim assuming you know what will be covered, according to the web site insure.com.
First and foremost, as some residents of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast learned during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a flood is not covered by homeowners insurance. Floods are only covered by flood insurance thats issued by the National Flood Insurance Program and cant be bought through nearly any insurance company.
Heres the kicker, though. Flood insurance policies have a ceiling not shared by homeowners insurance, and a separate level for contents that many people dont bother to adjust to their situations. So many homeowners in New Orleans wanted their homeowners insurance to handle the situation, because it provided more coverage.
Water damage from a leaking room is covered by most homeowners insurance, though the damage to the roof is not. Thats because of the generally accepted principle that anything related to maintenance falls to the homeowners. Roofs need to be properly maintained so the roof damage is not allowed.
Likewise, water from an appliance overflowing or pipes freezing and bursting, are both covered. Again, insurance companies general cover water damage if it was a sudden, catastrophic event, and not, as insure.com explains, a gradual wear and tear over time that proper maintenance could have avoided.
And two final areas of water damage: Seepages from the ground into the basement and sewer backup. Neither of these are covered by homeowners insurance. Seepage clearly is a gradual event that can be diagnosed and corrected before any significant damage results. Sewer backup is something that many insurance policies around the country specifically exclude.
So, now you know whether your own water event is covered by homeowners, flood insurance or has to be repaired out of pocket. And you are ready to take the next step - which is to document the damage and get an adjuster to your house as soon as possible to begin the process of submitting an insurance claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
What type of solar flood light do I need for my business?
What type of outdoor solar powered flood light should I get to illuminate my business sign? It has to be visable from approx 500m away, as I'm located in a business park and the nearside road is about 500m away. So Im wondering what power I need from the lights? Also how many would I need for a sign thats 16ft x 4ft.Thanks in advance,
Aslam
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ANSWER:
Motion sensor floodlight are best, i have bought some from K-Mart for about .00 I hope this helps.
Solar motion-activated security light with 14 super-bright LEDs. Easy installation, no electrician needed. Light automatically turns on when motion detected. Can be used for sheds, steps, porches or anywhere light is needed. Includes solar panel and mounti…Solar motion-activated security light with 14 super-bright LEDs. Easy installation, no electrician needed. Light automatically turns on when motion detected. Can be used for sheds, steps, porches or anywhere light is needed. Includes solar panel and mounting hardwaremore
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QUESTION:
Can anyone recommend a good solar powered flood light?
We need to brighten up the front of our house and want to use solar lighting, but most solar lights just give off that blue glow and not really alot of light. I'm willing to pay for good ones, just wondering if there are any good ones?-
ANSWER:
Call your local landscape contractor and ask him or her. Be sure you talk to someone who does design and installation, and has been in business for a long while. Ask for their recommendation and where you can purchase them.There are professional grade lighting systems that you cannot get at places like Home Depot. And many of the places that carry them will only sell to contractors, not to the general public.
Good luck.
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QUESTION:
what do you know about solar powered flood lights?
I live in a dark area of town where there is no street lights. I have been wanting to get flood lights to illuminate the outside at night when we get home, so that we dont have to walk in the darkness to the house.
I saw these and was wondering if they were any good,http://www.tvmarketplace.net/(hneerwf0gt3s5xq1gy1sqvym)/products/product.aspx?id=553&OVRAW=pen%20howl%20flood%20lights&OVKEY=flood%20light&OVMTC=advanced#Included
The only reason i am going for solar powered is because we are renting and there is no connection outside for a flood light where it is needed. The only out door lights we have is in the backyard, (on the rightside of the house), and the porch, (in the front). Neither illuminate an area where someone could easliy hide in the shadows.
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ANSWER:
They look pretty neat, i wouldnt mind giving them a go.
I have those little solar lights for the garden beds. http://www.intermatictimers.com/Default.asp?action=prod&pid=149&did=2&cid=49&sid=75They dont give out much light at all, and you have to space them close together so you dont trip over in the dark.
Im looking for something solar because i want to save on cabling and i have no outside power points..
So the one you posted looks good, but i do hope its not too good to be true.
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QUESTION:
12 volt solar flood lights?
I'm thinking of putting up a solar flood light to light up approx. 20'x25' area. I'm thinking of using a 12vlt. deep cycle battery with a charge controller and a 108 led flood lamp. Doe's anybody know roughly what size solar panel I should use or has anybody have info on a system which will work?-
ANSWER:
why use a batt, and solar cell
there, are solar flood lights on the market, and solar garage lights, that will light the whole area up,
go to harbor freight.com
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QUESTION:
I'm looking for solar flood lights for landscaping. Any brand recommendations?
Many I've looked at get bad reviews because they arent bright enough.-
ANSWER:
Solar lights are no good! Every brand and type I have seen fall apart and stop working after one season. But if you have to use them, buy the least expensive so you can buy new ones when they break.
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