Insurance won’t always give coverage Waterlogged NIGHTMARE [The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.]

July 21--Most home insurance covers water damage, but that doesn't guarantee the policy will pay a claim in your time of need.

From July 2008 to July 2009, the Washington state Insurance Commissioner received 420 complaints about home insurance coverage. Of those, 126 involved water-related claims, compared with 79 complaints about theft claims and 53 about fire.

Many of the water-related complaints involved longtime pipe leaks hidden behind a wall. By the time the damage is discovered, insurance companies may deny the claim because they consider it a maintenance issue, insurance commission spokesman Rich Roessler said.

Insurance typically covers sudden and accidental damage from plumbing failures such as burst pipes or overflowing toilets. It's not intended to replace aging pipes or compensate for obvious maintenance failures, such as ongoing leaks.

Here are some factors to consider when it comes to insurance and water damage.

--Damage from sewer back-ups is almost never covered by home insurance policies. Sewer agencies, however, sometimes pay for damage if there was a problem with the public sewer system.

--Renters should consider buying renter's insurance to cover the loss of belongings to water damage.

--Do what you can to stop, reduce and clean up the water damage as soon as you discover it. If you're slow to act, insurance might not cover it.

--Take photos or video of damage, track how much time you and others spend cleaning and repairing damage, and save receipts of cleanup and repair expenses. Some insurers cover the expense of extra garbage service and electricity to run dehumidifiers during a cleanup.

--Know what your policy covers and your policy deductible before reporting damage to the insurance company. As with any claim, the report might go on your insurance record and count against you, even if it's not covered and even if you simply ask if it's covered. Insurance companies sometimes cancel policies of people who file a succession of small claims, Roessler said.

--After reviewing your policy, accurately describe to your insurer what happened in your situation. That includes not using the word "flood" unless it truly fits the narrow insurance definition of an overflowing river, lake, stream or other body of water, according to an article at www.insure.com. Most homeowner policies don't cover such damage unless you purchase a special flood policy from a company or the National Flood Insurance Program.

--If damage is minor, you may want to handle repairs and hire a contractor yourself. However, sometimes people who are reluctant to pay a high deductible try to handle the work themselves and find they don't know what to do, said Jeff Rogers, manager at Servpro of Puyallup-Auburn, a local franchise of the national cleanup and restoration service company. When they finally do hire a company, mold may have set in, they may have unknowingly released asbestos from structural materials or caused another problem, making the job even more expensive, said Jason Hawks, project manager at Northwest Abatement Services Inc. in Lakewood.

If carpets are soaked, wood floors are warping, water is getting into the structure and there's the possibility of mold, you'd likely want to file a claim, Roessler said.

For in-between situations, Roessler said, "It's tough. You have to make the decision yourself."

--The national average "dry out" and cleanup job, including removal of floor and drywall, in a 1,200-square-foot house typically costs $2,500 plus tax, Rogers said.

--For examples of water damage scenarios that insurance typically covers and won't cover, read "Water damage in your home: Seven scenarios" at www.insure.com/articles/homeinsurance/water.html.

--Policy-holders who think their insurer improperly denied or underpaid a claim can file a complaint to the Washington Insurance Commission by calling the consumer hot line at 800-562-6900.

Debby Abe: 253-597-8694

[email protected]

Damage from watery disaster can wreak havoc on homeowners Lauren Raff returned from work to a waterfall of trouble last month in her Olympia home.

She opened the door to find water seeping from the ceiling, and rivulets trickling down walls and streaming out of light fixtures and vents.

Carpeting in the second-floor bedrooms was soaked. Water covered the kitchen floor and family room on the ground level.

The culprit: tap water from an upstairs bathroom faucet flowing for six-and-a-half hours into a sink with a clogged pipe.

Life hasn't been the same since the June 7 episode for Raff, husband Eric, daughters Melanie, 10, and Arielle, 8, and Spunky, the family's Australian shepherd.

"We've dealt with the stress of disaster recovery -- insurance, contractor, housing search, and the gamut of trying to maintain a sense of normalcy with kids still in school and maintaining a job but (having) nowhere near that feeling," Eric Raff wrote in an e-mail the week after the water disaster.

The Raffs have joined the ranks of homeowners and renters who've experienced the hassle and hazard of home water disasters. Whether caused by burst pipes, overflowing toilets or leaking water heaters, getting a home back to normal can be costly, stressful and in some cases impossible. Prized belongings can be permanently lost to water damage or resulting mold.

Taking steps to reduce damage as soon as possible is essential, restoration experts say. Having a good insurance policy helps.

After discovering the water on a Monday night and mopping up as best as they could, the Raffs contacted their insurer the next morning and a contractor arrived later that day to start pulling out carpet and Sheetrock.

Though some areas of the four-bedroom house escaped with little or no damage, the water ruined walls, carpets and vinyl flooring in most rooms, said Eric Raff, who spoke on the telephone through a video relay service, using a sign language interpreter. Eric, director of the state Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Lauren, a social worker, are deaf.

The waterlogged conditions and resulting work were so extensive the family had to move out of their home temporarily. They stayed at a pet-friendly, but cramped, hotel room for two weeks, then moved into a larger rental house for a month and a half, all the while shuttling Melanie and Arielle to and from school and activities.

"It was heart-wrenching to see our home bare of personal belongings, save heavy furniture and an uninhabitable contractor's mess," Eric Raff wrote in an e-mail.

Yet Raff is satisfied with his insurance company, USAA, and the contractor, Shoultz Restoration in Centralia.

The insurer is paying for the home restoration, estimated at about $20,000, as well as the family's hotel and rental expenses. Raff is glad he had purchased "replacement cost coverage," an insurance policy provision that compensates policyholders for the actual cost of replacing property instead of the depreciated value.

Though they could have chosen a contractor on their own, Eric and Lauren decided to go with the insurance company's preferred contractor since the insurer would warranty the firm's work for three years.

The job entailed removing flooring and walls, setting up heaters and dehumidifiers to eliminate remaining moisture, and installing new drywall or flooring, or both in some rooms.

Instead of buying new rugs, the couple is paying the difference between what the insurance would have covered for carpeting and the higher cost to install laminate flooring, which should be better for the girls' asthma, Raff said.

At Raff's request, the insurer also provided a sign language interpreter to interpret for a conversation between the couple and the contractor, and a meeting with an insurance adjustor.

Despite all the structural damage, the family didn't lose any personal items. And they've gained a greater appreciation of their home.

"Even though it has been stressful, I always remind myself there are other people who don't have a house, or they're just less fortunate," Raff said. "It was a learning experience for us. It's temporary, and the end result is we will be able to go back to our own house and everything will work out."

Construction is scheduled to be completed this week, and the Raffs hope to be sleeping in their home, sweet home by Monday.

Debby Abe: 253-597-8694

[email protected]

What to do in a water crisis

The field of water cleanup and restoration is immense because action varies with each situation. Here are a few general tips:

--Find the water source and stop it. If you can't find the source, call a plumber or your local water or sewer department, depending on the situation.

--Consider calling your insurance company.

--If water reaches electrical outlets or appliance connections and you can safely reach the electrical panel, turn off power to flooded rooms. If you can't turn off the power, stay out of the flooded area until the water recedes.

--If sewage is backing up from plumbing fixtures or drains, stop using the shower, washing machine and other water in your home. If the sewage stops backing up, your private side of the sewer is likely blocked and rootering of the line may restore drainage. If it continues to back up into your home, there could be a blockage in the sewer main. In that case, call the sewer department.

--Wear rubber gloves and boots when cleaning up and avoid tracking water throughout the home.

--Remove undamaged items from the area. Be careful not to box or bag wet and dry items together.

--Remove and prop up wet upholstery and cushions. Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.

--Remove water by mopping up, blotting and using a wet/dry vacuum. A wet/dry vacuum won't remove all water from a soaked carpet and pad, but extracting some of the water makes it easier to remove the items. Don't use a household vacuum to remove water.

--Professional cleaning services advise discarding in double-garbage bags anything that touches sewage, even towels used to mop up the mess.

--Good air flow is crucial to prevent mold, which starts forming within two to three days of a water crisis. Dry the area and personal property thoroughly with fans. Consider renting a dehumidifier.

--Turn on air conditioning for maximum drying in the summer. In the winter use low heat.

--Sanitize surfaces of concrete, unfinished wood, metal and other materials that won't be damaged by bleach with a solution of no more than 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water. Wipe it on lightly and let it air dry at room temperature.

--Wet drywall and carpet pads will likely have to be removed and discarded.

--Remove colored rugs, books, magazines and other colored items from wet carpet and floors.

--Don't use TV or other household appliances. Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet.

--Consider hiring a professional service listed under "fire and water damage restoration" in telephone directories. Check companies for complaints through the Better Business Bureau at www.akorww.bbb.org or 206-431-2222 or Washington State Department of Labor & Industry at www.lni.wa.gov or 800-647-0982.

--Be aware that building permits might be needed when repairing walls and other parts of structures damaged by water. Contact your city or county building department for more information.

MORE INFO

--Call the City of Tacoma wastewater and surface water utility at 253-591-5588 and ask to be mailed the "Residential flooding: Surface Water & Wastewater," a brochure detailing how to clean up sewage backups and stormwater floods.

--Go to Thurston County's website at www.co.thurston.wa.us and search for "mold" to find several publications on what to do after a flood.

Sources: www.servpro.com, Servpro of Puyallup-Auburn, Northwest Abatement Services Inc., City of Tacoma Environmental Services

-- Debby Abe, staff writer

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