Does USAA Cover An Electric Water Heater Fire?

What Does Homeowners' Insurance From USAA Cover?

A standard homeowners insurance policy from USAA covers damage to your home, outbuildings, furniture, and other belongings caused by fire, theft, vandalism, and most natural disasters, except for floods and earthquakes. Flood and earthquake coverage is up to you.

A standard homeowners insurance policy also includes guest medical and personal liability insurance to help pay for medical care and damages caused by injuries to others on your property and loss-of-use coverage for living expenses if your property can't be lived in after a claim. Also, standard homeowners insurance covers up to $5,000 in fraudulent credit card charges and other damages caused by identity theft. However, this coverage is not available in North Carolina. As part of its standard coverage, USAA also pays to replace military uniforms damaged or destroyed at home.

USAA also offers standard home replacement cost coverage. This means that the company will pay the current value of your home and belongings to fix or replace them.

Does USAA Cover A Fire Cause By An Electric Water Heater?

A standard homeowners insurance policy from USAA covers damage from a fire. It's important to check your homeowners' insurance policy first to cover water heaters, which it probably does. But let's assume that we're looking at a policy that covers them. Most homeowners' insurance policies cover water heaters in a few common ways.

Many homeowner's insurance policies cover water heaters in the ways below:

• Water damage: When water heaters break, they spew out a lot of water, which can do a lot of different kinds of damage. Over time, valves could burst, fittings could become loose, or the unit could rust. No matter what caused the unit to stop working, homeowners insurance will cover the water damage.
• Furniture and carpet cleaning: If your water heater breaks and leaks water all over the floor, your furniture and carpeting may get wet and grow mildew. Your insurance will pay to clean up your furniture and carpet, but it won't pay the full cost of replacing your carpet. The carpet's value goes down over time, so insurance will only pay for what it is worth now.
• Wood flooring: If water from a broken water heater damages your wood flooring so badly that it needs to be trashed and replaced, your homeowners' insurance will pay for it.

Make sure to contact your independent insurance agent and ask him or her to review your homeowners' policy with you. They can help you figure out what insurance coverage you have for your water heater.

If My Homeowners' Insurance Covers My Hot Water Heater, How Much Do I Have To Pay?

After you've paid your deductible, you'll have to pay any amount that goes over the limits of your homeowners' policy for structural water damage to your home or damage to your personal property, like your furniture, caused by water. If you're worried about not having enough coverage, try working with an experienced independent insurance agent to get a lower deductible policy or increase your coverage limits.

What Will Cover My Hot Water Heater If My Home Insurance Doesn't?

If your water heater breaks down and you have a warranty for home appliances, that will usually cover the cost of replacing it. These guarantees can also help if the water heater breaks down. Standard homeowner's insurance doesn't cover normal wear and tear on an appliance because it's the homeowner's job to keep it in good shape.

The best way to avoid a disaster is to keep up with your water heater's regular maintenance. Ensure you know how much your deductible is on your homeowners' insurance policy and how much it will cover your home and personal belongings. Get in touch with your independent insurance agent if you want to add more coverage.