When you look to purchase insurance for your home, you want to make sure every aspect of it is covered. From the ceilings to the walls, coverage is important in case a traumatic and damaging event occurs. This can lead you to wonder whether homeowners insurance covers flooring.
If your flooring or carpeting is damaged from the direct result of a covered peril, such as a fire, explosion, or falling object, then the insurance company will cover the repair or replacement of the flooring. If the flooring is damaged due to normal wear and tear or negligence, the insurance company will not cover the repair or replacement of the flooring.
Just as your walls and your ceilings are covered, your floors are covered within your standard homeowner’s insurance policy as well. Keep reading to learn more about this coverage and the specific scenarios in which it may or may not apply.
- Floor damage caused by a peril listed as covered on homeowners insurance is covered
- Floor damage caused by normal wear and tear is not covered by homeowners insurance.
- Seepage may or may not be covered, depending on your state and policy.
Dwelling coverage includes flooring
Your dwelling coverage is the main section A of your homeowners insurance policy that will cover loss or damage to your flooring if it is affected by a covered peril. Typically, there are at least 16 named perils that even the HO-2 named-peril policy will cover. These perils are:
- Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam
- Aircraft
- Explosion
- Falling objects
- Fire or lightning
- Freezing
- Riots
- Smoke
- Sudden and accidental damage due to short-circuiting
- Sudden and accidental tearing, cracking, burning, or bulging
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Vehicles
- Volcanic Eruption
- Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
- Windstorm or hail
So if your floor is damaged or lost due to something that occurs with one of the perils listed above, your insurance policy will consider the flooring as part of the claim and include it when assessing the damage and processing a check.
It is important to note that standard HO-3 policies, which are the most common in the US, offer open-peril protection for dwelling coverage. Open-peril coverage will cover even more perils than the 16 listed above and will only deny coverage if it occurs due to a specifically listed excluded peril. For example, earthquake damage, flood damage, normal wear and tear, and negligence are excluded by most insurance policies.
Are these scenarios covered?
Now that you know that floor damage can be covered, it is important to understand what instances an insurance company will accept. Below are some common floor damage scenarios and information on whether or not an insurance provider is likely to cover the damage.
Spills
If you have friends or family that destroy your flooring by spilling water, milk, oil, grease, and other items onto it, then you will be responsible for fixing the damage to the flooring. This is considered to be normal wear and tear.
If a pipe bursts and water spills all over the floor and ruins the flooring, this would be covered under your insurance, as this type of water damage is often considered a covered peril.
Dents, cracks, scratches
Regular dents, cracks, and scratches are considered wear and tear. It is inevitable that someone will drop something heavy, or a chair or piece of furniture will scratch a wood floor. The owner will need to handle the maintenance for these repairs.
If, however, a ceiling collapses due to water damage, and the weight of the collapse dents, scratches, or cracks the floor, this is considered a covered peril and will be part of the covered claim.
Water damage and seepage
Water damage is often covered by most homeowner insurance policies. Burst pipes and appliance overflows that damage a floor will be covered. Typical flooding will not be and often requires an endorsement.
Additionally, seepage sometimes occurs in bathrooms and other similar rooms in a home. Not every insurance policy covers seepage, but some states do require it. Check with your company before making a claim.
Your floors are covered
In most instances, your flooring will be covered if they are damaged or ruined due to a covered peril. This allows many homeowners to rest easy when they shop for their annual homeowner’s insurance policy. Remember, it is always good to ask questions when shopping around. Every insurer has different standards, and understanding coverage is an important aspect of owning a home.
