If My Dishwasher Leaks and Floods My Mississippi Home, Who Pays for the Damage?

A broken appliance like a dishwasher can end up costing you much more than its replacement value, especially if it causes water damage to your home. But not all kinds of water damage are covered by home insurance, so it's helpful to know if this type of incident would be.

An independent insurance agent in Mississippi can help you get equipped with the right home insurance and other coverage you need to protect against flooding caused by broken appliances. But for starters, here's a deep dive into dishwasher flooding and how the damage gets covered.

Who Covers Dishwasher Flood Damage?

If your dishwasher leaks and causes a flood in your home, you'll have to file a claim through your homeowners insurance policy. You'll want to file a claim no matter the cause of the leak, such as if it was due to aging or because it was installed incorrectly.

If you suspect the dishwasher broke due to a professional's negligence, you can attempt to get compensated by them through their insurance. However, it might be difficult to prove that your appliance was installed incorrectly or broken by someone else. 

What Covers Dishwasher Flood Damage?

According to insurance expert Jeffery Green, home insurance covers flooding from an appliance like a dishwasher only if the incident is sudden and accidental. Leaks and flooding due to appliance age or improper maintenance or installation wouldn’t be considered accidental by your home insurance company. 

If the cause of your dishwasher leak, break, or flood was sudden and accidental, your home insurance could cover the following:

• Dwelling damage: Your home insurance can reimburse you for damage to your home's structure caused by many perils, including water damage due to accidental appliance breaks.
• Contents damage: Your home insurance could also reimburse you for damage to your personal property like clothing, furniture, etc. after an incident like this one.
• Liability: If a guest or other third party was at your house when the flood happened and got injured or their property was damaged in the incident, your home insurance may cover legal and other expenses.
• Additional living expenses: If a covered dishwasher flood caused such extensive damage that you had to stay somewhere else while waiting for repairs to be completed on your property, your home insurance could reimburse you for extra costs such as hotel stays.

Speak with your independent insurance agent about the coverage included in your homeowners insurance for dishwasher leaks and flooding caused by accidental breaks in appliances. 

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What if the Dishwasher Wasn’t Installed Right by the Technicians?

Before hiring someone to make changes or improvements to your home, make sure to ask for credentials right away. You'll always want to check for proof of insurance and proper licensing before allowing someone to install a major appliance that could potentially cause damage. 

Does Flood Insurance Cover All Types of Floods?

Flood insurance can cover many types of flooding that home insurance can't. Here's a breakdown of some types of flooding that can be covered by flood insurance.

• Storm flooding: Flood damage caused by natural disasters like hurricanes and heavy rainfall or even melting snow is covered by flood insurance.
• Sewer backup: As long as the cause of the sewer backup was due to a flood, then flood insurance could cover the resulting damage.

Flood insurance includes protection for damage to your home's structure and components like permanently installed carpeting, blinds, etc. as well as to your personal property like furniture, etc. For flood damage to be covered, it must consist of an excess of water in an area that's normally dry.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Mississippi Floods?

Homes in Mississippi flood for many different reasons, with the most common being:

1. Broken pipes: If pipes break due to sudden and accidental causes, they're covered by standard home insurance.
2. Faulty drainage: Water not draining correctly and entering the home is not typically covered by home insurance, unless it applies to a sewer and you purchased a sewer backup endorsement. 
3. Clogged gutters: The homeowner is responsible for keeping their gutters clear and well maintained, so home flooding caused by clogged gutters is not typically covered by home insurance.
4. Broken appliances: As long as an appliance breaks by accident, home insurance should cover the resulting flood damage to the home.
5. Damaged foundation: Flooding in the home due to cracks or other foundation issues is not typically covered by home insurance.
6. Natural disasters: Flooding caused by natural disasters is only covered by flood insurance.

Make sure your Mississippi home is equipped with the right home insurance and flood insurance to protect it against all types of flooding and water damage. Flooding incidents are common and can be frustrating and expensive to deal with, but fortunately, an independent insurance agent in Mississippi can help you find the coverage you need.

Why Choose a Mississippi Independent Insurance Agent?

Mississippi independent insurance agents simplify the process by shopping and comparing insurance quotes for you. Not only that, but they’ll also cut through the jargon and clarify the fine print so you'll know exactly what you’re getting.

Mississippi independent insurance agents also have access to multiple insurance companies, ultimately finding you the best home insurance and flood insurance coverage, accessibility, and competitive pricing while working for you.