Water damage claims

Sudden and accidental — the phrase the claim turns on

Most policies cover water damage that is sudden and accidental, and exclude damage that happened gradually. A supply line that bursts is covered. The same line that wept for eight months is usually not. That single distinction decides an enormous number of water claims, and it is decided on evidence you can only gather early.

That is why timing matters more here than in any other claim type. Moisture readings, photographs before demolition, the failed part itself — keep the fitting, keep the hose — and a documented dry-out log are what separate a paid claim from a denied one.

Then there is scope. Carriers often pay to dry and patch. They pay less readily for what is behind the drywall: insulation, cabinetry substrate, subfloor, and the flooring that no longer matches from room to room.

Call quickly if

• A supply line, water heater, appliance or slab line failed.
• The mitigation company has already started and nobody has documented the pre-demolition state.
• The carrier is calling it long-term seepage and you think it was sudden.
• Flooring runs continuously into rooms that are not being replaced.
• Mould has appeared and you are being told it is excluded outright.
• You have been paid for drying but not for putting the house back.

How the claim runs

1. Free claim review. You describe what happened. Michael tells you honestly whether a public adjuster changes the outcome.
2. On-site inspection. Roof, attic, interior, contents — photographed and measured, not glanced at.
3. Documentation. A line-item Xactimate estimate built the same way the carrier builds theirs.
4. Negotiation. Michael deals with the carrier so you are not the one arguing scope on the phone.
5. Settlement. You see what was recovered and why, in plain language.

Water claim questions

Is mold covered?

It depends on the policy and on what caused it. Many Texas policies limit mold remediation but still cover the water loss that caused it. The wording decides, and the wording varies more than people expect.

The insurance company says the leak was gradual. Can that be challenged?

Yes, and it frequently is. Gradual is a conclusion, and conclusions can be tested against the failed part, the moisture pattern and the repair history.

Should I let the mitigation company handle the claim?

Mitigation companies dry the building. They are not licensed to represent you in the claim, and their invoice is only one line of it.

What about a slab leak?

Policies often exclude the pipe itself but cover the resulting damage and the cost of accessing it. Those are separate questions and should be separated in the file.