8 Most Common Home Insurance Claims in Massachusetts (And What to do if they Happen to You)
Your homeowners insurance policy is there to protect your property and assets in life's most devastating and unpredictable moments. While you can never be sure what damages will happen to your home, you should always strive to be prepared.
Berry Insurance has been helping homeowners through the toughest situations life can throw at you for 100 years (and counting!). Whether a tree fell through your bedroom wall or you gained an “indoor swimming pool” through a freshly burst pipe, we’ve seen it all and want to make sure you’re protected from the worst of it.
Let’s review some of the most common home insurance claims in Massachusetts, to ensure you are properly protected against them and how you can respond if they happen to your home.
1. Burst pipe
Water damages remain some of the most common forms of insurance claims that homeowners will experience, a frequent cause being from burst pipes. Pipes bursting can be a result of numerous factors, including tree root obstruction and freezing. Frozen pipes can particularly be a problem during winters here in Massachusetts, as lowering or turning off your heating for a few days while on a trip can be enough to have them freeze over.
Accidental or sudden discharge of water, like that from a burst pipe, would be protected under your dwelling coverages in your homeowners insurance policy.
However, it is always important to take precautions as a homeowner to prevent any potential pipe bursts. When experiencing cold weather, it’s recommended to keep the thermostat of your home at a consistent temperature day and night - no lower than 55° F. By keeping the temperature the same during the night you incur a higher heating bill, but will be saving money against any damages. Running water through the pies, even if just a small trickle from a faucet, will also help prevent pipes from freezing.
2. Flooding
A separate type of water damage, flooding in your home can occur from thawing snow, a heavy rain storm, a river or creek overflowing, blocked storm drains, mudslides, or a neighbor’s pool draining into your basement. Even those outside of “flood zones” can still be susceptible to the damages that come from heavy flooding. While it can cause a whole host of problems, flooding requires a separate policy to receive proper coverage. Flood insurance can be a key coverage in protecting your home from flooding’s costly damages.
3. Ice dams
Ice dams are build ups of ice that form at the edge of a roof, preventing snow and water from eventually draining off. These crop up frequently during mixes of temperatures, when indoor heating rises through the ceiling and begins warming the roof’s surface and any snow on top of it. The melting snow will partially refreeze on cooler portions of the roof, creating a dam that can leak into the home and cause damage to your roofing, walls, insulation, flooring, and more.
While any damages to your roof and gutters from ice dams would typically be covered under your homeowners insurance policy, it is important to confirm with your insurance agent to see if there are any restrictions on your policy. For example, services to remove ice dams would not typically be covered.
Ice dams often occur due to faulty ventilation or insulation, so a great way to prevent them is by making sure these items are up to date through proper inspections.
To learn more about ice dams and how you can prevent them, check out this article: Are Ice Dams Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
4. Liability from falls
If a guest is ever injured while on your property, you may be liable to pay for their medical expenses. Liability claims tend to be one of the most expensive of common homeowners insurance claims, but are luckily covered under most home insurance policies.
Falls become more of a concern during icy Massachusetts winters, stressing the need for proper snow/ice removal and railings on stairs when expecting visitors.
5. Wind
While this is more of a concern with coastal properties, any large storm or hurricane yields damages that prove catastrophic and often quite costly. Damages from wind are covered under storm damages on your homeowners insurance policy. Average claims from damages related to wind usually far exceed your deductible, which is the amount you pay before insurance coverage kicks in. Wind damages costly nature makes it a common claim among homeowners.
Some insurance carriers require that you carry a separate wind deductible, which is a percentage of the overall dwelling coverage, and would be higher than your standard deductible. This is especially important for coastal homes.
6. Tree falls
A tree falling on your property, potentially into your house, can be a devastating and costly wreck that could even make your home uninhabitable for time. Whether caused by heavy storms or an accident while cutting it down, the damages would be covered by your homeowners insurance policy - including when the tree was from a neighbor's property.
Homeowners insurance typically will not cover damages sustained from a tree on your property if it was previously rotting or decaying, even if a storm ultimately caused it to fall. It can be a good idea to check the trees surrounding your home, to get rid of any dead trees from causing any possible damages.
Signs of a rotting tree include cracks in the bark, dead branches, fungal growths on the bark, and cracks in the ground surrounding a tree from uprooting. If you see these signs in a tree near your home, it is best to reach out to a tree removal company to properly assess the situation. However, your policy would be sure to have you covered if the tree originated from your neighbors property, as that would largely be out of your control.
For more information on how fallen trees are covered by homeowners insurance policies, check out this helpful article: If a Tree Falls on my Car/House, Whose Insurance Pays?
7. Dog bites
Claims from dog bites have seen a steady increase in recent years, ranking them as one of the most common claims we see homeowners experience. It is important to update your home insurance agent when getting a new pup, as some breeds may be excluded from your home insurance policy. This is mostly due to certain breeds' history of aggression or bites. Homeowners insurance policies cover non-excluded breed bites whether it is on or off your property, handling liability claims and medical payments to others.
Keeping your dog leashed around new people, getting your dog professionally trained, or teaching your dog to only chew on certain toys, are good ways to prevent your dogs from causing any bite claims.
Looking for more on dog bites and breed restrictions? Have a look at this article: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Dog Bites?
8. Fire
Fire claims do not rank as the most frequent, but do when it comes to most expensive or costly claims. Average claims for damages sustained after a house fire cost around $78,000. Thankfully, your homeowner's insurance policy is designed with this type of loss specifically in mind, covering any part of your property that is affected by the fire.
What to do if these damages happen to you
Experiencing any of these losses can be a very stressful time, but it’s important to remember your insurance is there to protect your family and your home in life's most challenging moments.
The first priority you should have when any major loss happens to your home is to prevent any further damage. For example, if a neighbor's tree branch falls through your bedroom wall, it’s better to hire specialists for removal, rather than causing any further damage by trying it yourself. However, if there is anything you can feasibly do to lessen the damage right away, the insurance company expects you to do so. Such as, shutting off your water after a pipe burst to stop any further water damage.
If the house is made uninhabitable from the loss, like through flooding or fire damage, it’s also recommended to get you and your family out of the house so as to not cause you any harm. This temporary dwelling would also be covered by your homeowners insurance.
Taking photos/documentation of the damage is also a great way of keeping evidence for any potential claims.
For information on how to file a claim on any damages that happen to your home, contact your insurance agent today, and check out this informative guide: Everything You Need to Know About Filing a Home Insurance Claim.