DENVER (KDVR) — Storm damage can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home, but you might be surprised at what is and isn’t covered by your insurance.
Tony Pirotelli’s beautiful mountain home was hit hard by an early season hail storm. After hail collected around the home, water from the storm seeped under his door, damaging his wood floor.
“That’s going to be an extra $4,000 to $6,000,” he said.
Pirotelli contacted FOX31 when he learned his insurance carrier would not cover the total amount.
“Water being hit on the ground by the hail is not covered,” he said. The Problem Solvers contacted Pirotelli’s carrier, Farmers Insurance, which sent out an adjuster to take a closer look at the damage.
A spokesperson provided FOX31 with a statement, saying, “We continue to work with our customer to resolve their claim.”
The company added coverage of the awning, but Pirotelli said his fight for full coverage will continue.
“If we don’t get them to pay, I’m going to pay nothing because I’ll be taking them to court,” he said.
Insurance experts at Risk Management Partners told the Problem Solvers that seeping water will likely be considered groundwater unless the storm breaks a window, causing water to get inside.
It is important to understand your carrier’s definition of damage caused by melting hail or rain compared to groundwater. It can make all the difference when the weather turns.