Ice covered ditch

Are you covered for damage from melting snow??

We’ve already seen the devastating power of Mother Nature with the recent epic snowfalls in Northeast Wisconsin. As if dangerous travel and painful snow removal weren’t enough, the heavy snow placed major stress on roofs and other structures… to the point of collapse. When we saw the footage on the news and heard the whipping winds outside, it’s around that time that most of us started thinking about our homeowners coverage for such events.

So with that in mind, it’s worth taking a look at how insurance covers such extreme weather conditions as we’ve seen.

  • Snow load and tree collapse – The most recent damage that’s been in the spotlight the last several days. In almost all cases, this will be covered under a standard homeowners policy. Included, would be roof collapse from snow load as 
  • well as fallen tree limbs due to weight, wind, ice, etc.
  • Water damage – A similar situation might include property damage to electronics or other appliances due to snow that made its way in through a damaged door or window. Again, this water damage is typically covered through standard homeowners coverage.
  • Melting snow – When we get a significant snow in April, the next fear homeowners have is a fast melt that contributes to flooded basements. It’s the product of that snowstorm, so you should be covered same as the examples above, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case and many homeowners find out the hard way that they needed flood insurance. This was also the case for thousands of residents impacted by last year’s hurricanes. Basements flooded from a rapid snow melt, oversaturated ground, storms, etc. require flood insurance to be covered. Even some water damage from an unaddressed bathroom leak or sewer backup is not guaranteed to be covered under a standard policy; coverages vary greatly by policy and state.

The bottom line is that we sat here in April with 30 inches of snow in our yards. While it is Wisconsin, we still have reason to believe that the weather will turn quickly and this snow is melting just as fast. This water is and will continue to be a mess… it is going to go somewhere, and that somewhere likely could be in your basement if drainage is not given attention. Now is the time to address any possible drainage/runoff issues and it’s most definitely the time to chat with your independent insurance agent to ensure you are properly covered.

Contact Senn Hometown Insurance Agency, Inc. to review your homeowners policy today and to discuss ways to protect your property. 

Senn Hometown Insurance Agency, Inc.

920-848-2341