Do You Know the Difference Between Flood Damage and Storm Damage?

5/11/2019 (Permalink)

Knowing the difference between flood damage and storm damage can help you seek assistance from the proper authority

Your insurance company can use different classifications of damage to rate the problems your business experiences when storm damage or floodwaters hit your company in Mesa, AZ. By using different categories, the company can limit or expand the coverage owed to you — sometimes based solely on one word. Here is a brief explanation of the differences between flood damage and storm problems.

Floodwater Damage

In order to establish and regulate the definition of flooding, FEMA set forth a legal definition that is used by most insurance companies. When processing claims, your insurance company will often make the following distinctions regarding floodwaters:

• Floodwater is a temporary condition caused by an inundation of mud or water that covers at least 2 acres of land that under normal circumstances is dry.
  
• Floodwater can come from both outside sources and from rising groundwaters.
  
• A business, renters, or homeowners policy may cover flood damage from a storm that will not be covered under FEMA’s flooding criteria.
  
  

Raging Storm Damage

Storm damage, as defined under insurance policies, can often be much broader than floodwater damage. As with floodwaters, there is a list of qualifications that need to be met for the claim to be successful. If your business has a policy pertaining to damage from storms, it generally includes the following:

• Damage during a storm that affects a building’s windows, roof, or structure will typically be covered.
  
• Damage resulting from forceful winds that drive rain into a building are usually covered.
  
• Businesses that experience severe weather causing broken pipes to flood the structure will normally be covered.
  
• Interruptions to business operations as a result of natural disasters such as wildfires, lightning, and heavy winds are often covered.
  
  

Knowing the difference between flood damage and storm damage can help you seek assistance from the proper authority. Also, having a water remediation team on speed-dial can help you get your business open quickly, no matter what type of storm hits you.