Emergency!!!

[BrudLee]

My basement has flooded twice this winter - call your insurance agent!!! Even if you don't have 'Flood Insurance', you should be covered for much of your losses and costs accrued in fixing yourself up.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by BrudLee

My basement has flooded twice this winter - call your insurance agent!!! Even if you don't have 'Flood Insurance', you should be covered for much of your losses and costs accrued in fixing yourself up.

Ummm, maybe - Even if covered, you may want to assess the damage and see if you can't cover it yourself. Insurance underwriting has gotten very strict as the market has hardened. If you have two or more claims in a trhee year period and depending on your insurer, you may get cancelled. Once cancelled it is difficult and expensive to get reinsured.

You should really only use your homeowner's insurance for really BIG losses (my deductible is at 1,500).

[BrudLee]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Ummm, maybe - Even if covered, you may want to assess the damage and see if you can't cover it yourself. Insurance underwriting has gotten very strict as the market has hardened. If you have two or more claims in a trhee year period and depending on your insurer, you may get cancelled. Once cancelled it is difficult and expensive to get reinsured.

You should really only use your homeowner's insurance for really BIG losses (my deductible is at 1,500).

Half of my basement is finished. The projected cost of replacing the carpet and two feet of drywall from the floor up (due to mold infestation from the water) is over $12,000, not including the stored items that were lost from water damage. So yeah, I called my agent. I agree that insurance companies won't tolerate getting nickel-and-dimed to death, but a flood of a finished area can cost a whole lot.

[Gmanc711]

Originally Posted by BrudLee

Half of my basement is finished. The projected cost of replacing the carpet and two feet of drywall from the floor up (due to mold infestation from the water) is over $12,000, not including the stored items that were lost from water damage. So yeah, I called my agent. I agree that insurance companies won't tolerate getting nickel-and-dimed to death, but a flood of a finished area can cost a whole lot.

Thats why I was so worried. My basement is proboly the most valuable place in this house. Theres computers, full carpet, a big screen tv and all sorts of stuff. Thats why I didnt want to let it get out of control and start causing a ton of damage. It will proboly smell like assclown down here for a little while, but at least I stopped anything getting messed up.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by BrudLee

Half of my basement is finished. The projected cost of replacing the carpet and two feet of drywall from the floor up (due to mold infestation from the water) is over $12,000, not including the stored items that were lost from water damage. So yeah, I called my agent. I agree that insurance companies won't tolerate getting nickel-and-dimed to death, but a flood of a finished area can cost a whole lot.

Fair enough. I was just suggesting that, prior to calling in a claim, Gmanc assess the actual damage and be sure it wasn't a claim he could afford to pay on his own.

Also, if flooding is a problem, you may want to look into flood insurance (which, generally, is sold separately from your homeowners). It is an expensive coverage, but, if the basement flooding can cause you significant damage, it's a coverage you should look into.