Guide
Texas insurance basics for water damage
General information from the Texas Department of Insurance. Your policy controls. This site cannot say whether a loss is covered.
How coverage often works
- Sudden and accidental
Most home and renters policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst pipe, a toilet overflow or a broken washer hose.
- Gradual leaks
Policies usually do not cover a continuous leak or seepage. Mold that results from one is generally excluded as well.
- Flood
Home policies do not cover flood. That takes a separate flood policy, which usually has a 30-day waiting period.
- Sewer or drain backup
This is a common add-on called an endorsement. Without it, a backup may not be covered.
- Mold
Most home policies leave out mold cleanup and testing, though mold on an item the policy pays to replace may be covered. Some insurers sell added mold coverage.
- Deductible
The part of a loss you pay yourself. You may have different deductibles for different kinds of coverage.
Deadlines the state sets for insurers
These come from TDI's home insurance guide. Exceptions exist, so read the guide for the full list.
- Acknowledge
The company must confirm it received your claim within 15 days.
- Decide
It must accept or deny within 15 business days of getting all the information it needs.
- Pay
Payment is due within five business days after the company agrees to pay.
- Your deadline
Some policies set a one-year deadline to file. Tell the company as soon as possible.
If you disagree with the insurer
TDI runs a Help Line at 800-252-3439. A complaint must be in writing, and TDI has an online complaint portal.
Before you cash a check, talk to the company. TDI warns that some companies treat a signed check as a final settlement, and that the first check is often for actual cash value with the rest to follow after repairs.
Contractors may not waive your deductible. See the page on adjusters and contractors.
Parts of a home policy that matter after water
These come from TDI's home insurance guide. Policies differ, so the declarations page of yours controls.
- Additional living expenses
If you must move out during covered repairs, the policy may pay rent, food and other extra costs. TDI says that coverage might be limited to 10 to 20 percent of the dwelling coverage, so watch the total over a long repair.
- Replacement cost or actual cash value
Replacement cost pays current prices. Actual cash value subtracts depreciation. Most companies with replacement cost coverage pay in two checks, the second after the finished work is billed.
- Endorsements
TDI lists add-ons that matter for water: sewer or drain backup, damage to foundations or slabs, and extra cost to meet local building codes.
- Slab and foundation
If your house sits on a slab, ask the agent what the foundation endorsement does and does not cover.
Water is still moving. Call now.
One call connects you with an independent restoration contractor who serves the Kyle area. Then you decide what happens next.