What You Should Know About Flood Damage as a Tenant

2/8/2022 (Permalink)

The tenant is responsible for any personal items that were damaged in a flood, but renter’s insurance will cover the cost of replacing those items.

As A Tenant, Here's What You Should Know About Flood Damage

When a storm or flood affects the home you’re renting in Kennewick, WA, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. However, knowing what renter’s insurance will and will not cover can help to eliminate some of the stress that comes with the restoration process.

1. Landlords Can Help Prepare for Floods

Mitigating the amount of damage that a flood can cause can help to protect your home. Before a storm or flood occurs, the landlord of a property can often take steps to prevent major damage from occurring, such as using tarps on roofs and boarding up windows. Additionally, your landlord can provide you with important information about how to evacuate if it becomes unsafe to stay in your home.

2. Tenants Cover Property Losses

Although it’s helpful to move important items, such as legal documents or items of sentimental value, in waterproof containers before a storm or flood, you may not have much warning before a flood occurs. As a result, valuable items may become damaged. The tenant is responsible for any personal items that were damaged in a flood, but renter’s insurance will cover the cost of replacing those items. It can be helpful to document the damage so your insurance company can give you fair compensation.

3. Landlords Cover Structural Damage

While the tenants’ insurance coverage will cover the cost of personal property damage, the landlord is responsible for fixing any structural damage that occurs as the result of a storm or flood. Structural damage can include damage to your home’s roof, pipes and more. However, if your items become damaged as a result of structural damage, you as the tenant are still responsible for replacing those personal belongings.

As a tenant, it can be useful to know that landlords can help to prepare you and your home for floods and storms; it’s also useful to know what your renter’s insurance will and won’t cover. If your home has been affected by flooding, it may be helpful to contact water damage restoration experts.