Will My Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Foundation Repair?
Homeowner’s insurance is essential for protecting your home and belongings from disasters, but there’s uncertainty about whether it covers foundation damage.
The coverage for foundation issues varies, prompting homeowners to question what their policies actually protect against.
On this page, explore the specifics of insurance coverage for foundation damage and offers guidance for situations where such damage is not covered.
Is My Foundation Covered By Home Insurance?
Let’s get right to it and answer this burning question. The shorter answer is: it depends.
Here’s a look at various determining cause factors:
Likely Covered
- An “act of nature”
- Something out of your control
- Fires
- Explosions
- Severe weather (tornado)
Likely Not Covered
- Poor construction
- Wear and tear
- Lack of maintenance
- Pest infestations
- Underlying soil conditions or tree roots
This is in no way an exhaustive list, but it highlights why it’s important to regularly inspect and maintain your foundation to minimize the risk of damage.
We encourage you to carefully review your policy and talk to your insurance agent to fully understand what is and isn’t covered when it comes to foundation damage. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and clarify any confusing terms or conditions.
What To Do If Damage Is Not Covered
If your home has foundation damage that isn’t covered by your insurance policy, it’s not the end of the world. Here’s what you can do:
- Get an Estimate: The first step is to figure out how much it will cost to repair the damage. Contact a reputable foundation repair expert like Baker’s Waterproofing for a free inspection and estimate. This gives you an idea of how much money you’ll need.
- Apply for a Grant: Depending on where you live and your circumstances, there may be grants available to help cover the cost of home repairs. Do some research to see if this is an option in your area.
- Consider Financing: If you don’t have the cash on hand to pay for repairs and do not qualify for a grant, consider talking to the foundation repair professional about financing options.
- Negotiate with Your Insurance Company: You can try to prove the damage was caused by something covered in your policy. For example, if you have coverage for water damage but not foundation damage, you could argue that the foundation damage was caused by water.
Dealing with foundation damage isn’t fun, especially if it’s not covered by insurance. However, there are options available to you, so don’t lose hope. With a bit of research and some hard work, you can get your home back to its former glory.
6 Common Causes of Foundation Damage
With the realization that many homeowner’s insurance policies typically do not cover foundation repairs, it’s important to understand the underlying causes of foundation damage. Knowledge is power when it comes to addressing these issues effectively.
Here are six common culprits behind foundation damage:
1. Expansive Soil
Expansive soil—especially clay-rich soil—is a real troublemaker because it expands when it soaks up moisture and contracts when it dries out. This continuous swelling and shrinking creates movement under the foundation that can lead to serious structural damage.
2. Erosion-prone Soil
When the soil under the house washes away, it can create voids under your foundation, which can cause uneven settlement. This is common with silty soils.
3. Poor Drainage
Poor drainage can make matters worse when it comes to expansive and erosion-prone soil. When soil becomes saturated with water, it can exacerbate the effects of these types of soil, leading to increased damage over time.
4. Improper Site Preparation
When soil is not properly tamped down before building, it can settle and shift over time, causing your foundation to become unstable. This can happen even years after the building was constructed.
5. Invasive Tree Roots
When planted too close to your home, trees with aggressive root systems can pose a significant threat to the integrity of your foundation. As these roots spread in search of nourishment, they disrupt the soil around your foundation, causing shifts. They also siphon moisture from the ground, leading to soil and foundation movement, ultimately compromising the crucial support structure for your home.
6. Seismic Events
While earthquakes are rare in Pennsylvania, they do happen. When an earthquake hits, the ground shifts and moves in ways that can cause serious structural damage. In areas prone to earthquakes, it’s especially important to have your home seismically retrofitted.
How Do I Know If My Foundation Is Damaged?
Now that you know what leads to foundation damage, it’s important to know what symptoms to look for. The sooner you notice them and reach out to foundation repair professionals, the easier it is to repair and protect your foundation. Common signs of foundation damage include:
How to Repair Foundation Damage
The selected repair solution for foundation damage will depend on what caused the problem. Following a free inspection from a Baker’s Waterproofing expert, you’ll receive a detailed repair estimate with solutions tailored to your home’s unique needs.
Here are a couple of common foundation problems and their solutions:
Correcting Foundation Settlement
Foundation settlement—particularly differential settlement—happens when the foundation settles unevenly into the ground. It indicates underlying soil cannot properly support your home.
We address this with one of our three types of foundation piers:
These heavy-duty steel piers are installed deep into the ground until they reach stable soil. The piers permanently stabilize and can potentially lift sections of the settling foundation.
Counteracting Hydrostatic Pressure
Poor drainage around a foundation can cause hydrostatic pressure to build up and push against the foundation walls. If the pressure isn’t relieved, the walls will eventually start to bow inward, crack, and enable water leaks.
Our basement wall reinforcement methods include:
We can also protect your basement from water intrusion with basement waterproofing solutions, including drainage and sump pumps.
Trust Baker’s Waterproofing for Lasting Foundation Protection
Whether your homeowner’s insurance covers foundation repair or not, entrusting this crucial task to a reputable and experienced company is important. At Baker’s Waterproofing, we pride ourselves on our proven foundation repair solutions, designed to permanently stabilize your home and prevent further damage.
Contact Baker’s Waterproofing today to schedule a free inspection and estimate. We’ll treat your home as our own and provide you with a comprehensive solution that will secure your home’s foundation for years to come. Experience the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home is in the hands of true experts.
FAQs
Along with investing in professional foundation repair or basement waterproofing solutions, there are other steps you can take to prevent damage and potential insurance claims. These include regrading your yard, maintaining gutters and downspouts, installing downspout extensions, and planting trees at least 20 feet away from your foundation.
Foundation repair costs vary significantly depending on the severity of the issue, the type of repair required, and the size of your home. However, Baker’s Waterproofing provides free inspections, no-obligation repair estimates, customized solutions to meet your needs and budget, and various financing options.
Yes, we stand behind our work, offering comprehensive, transferable warranties for our basement and foundation repair services. This provides homeowners peace of mind, knowing that their investment is protected.
Holly Richards-Purpura
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