Different classes of Water Damage while Dealing with Insurance Claim
Suppose you have insurance coverage on the building and the items in it. In that case, you’ll most likely get compensation to repair or replace damaged materials—but not for lost business income while repairs are made (read more about Flood Insurance ). It’s important to know what class of water damage you are dealing with when filing an insurance claim because this will determine the extent of your compensation (assuming that your’s is a water damage claim). There are three classes:
1. Class 1 Water – clean, clear, and potable [drinkable] water such as from a faucet or water supply.
2. Class 2 Water – grayish, dirty, and undrinkable such as from a dishwasher or washing machine overflow.
3. Class 3 Water – containing waste material such as from a toilet or sump pump failure. *** Flooded basements can fall into any of these three categories depending on the amount of water damage. Flooding from a storm, for example, is different from flooding from a neighbor’s broken pipe inside your property lines.
● Flood water is usually from outside the building but can also come from indoor plumbing fixtures. Flooding commonly occurs in basements when a natural or man-made disaster overwhelms the river banks or sewers back up into homes. Floods are often labeled “Class A” water damage.
● Seepage water is not from a known source. Usually, it percolates through the soil after heavy rains or snows have soaked into the ground, sometimes traveling along underground watercourses to your basement. Flooding occurs when the water rises above the floor level or enters via windows and doors. Seepage can also come from faulty roofs, sump pump failures, or water pipes that have burst due to freezing. Flooding from seepage is labeled “Class B” water damage.
● Water from infiltration, also known as groundwater, occurs when the water source is not storm-related. The building itself may be leaking (e.g., roof, basement). Flooding due to infiltration is labeled “Class C” water damage.
