Water in your basement?

Does Home Insurance Cover Basement Flooding? (US)

Depends on source. Sewer backup — endorsement only. Groundwater / surface flood — NFIP only. Burst pipe — standard policy.

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The short answer

Source determines everything. Pipe burst or appliance failure = standard HO-3 covers it. Sewer or drain backup = only if you have the water backup endorsement ($40–$150/yr). Rising water from outside (river, heavy rain overwhelming grade) = flood, only NFIP or private flood pays. Sump pump failure = separate endorsement.

Frequently asked

Is my basement itself covered?
Structure yes, but personal property in the basement is often sub-limited on the flood policy side.

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