Does homeowners insurance cover water damage in Texas?

MoCo Water Damage is a referral service, not an insurance agency, a law firm, or a public adjuster. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) is the official consumer source cited below. Policies differ. If you have a question about your coverage, call your company or TDI’s help line at 800-252-3439.

Sudden indoor leaks and burst pipes

TDI has written that most homeowners policies cover water damage from leaks and broken pipes, but that there are exceptions, and that you should always read your policy. After Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, TDI noted that a large share of the insured losses in Texas came from broken pipes, and that many policies pay for “sudden and accidental” damage such as frozen pipes or broken appliance hoses, sometimes with limitations.

TDI also says that if you have a leak, you should turn the water off at the main and move expensive items off the floor, because an insurer may deny a claim if you do not protect the property. Photograph the damage before you do more than temporary repairs, and talk to the company before making permanent repairs.

Flood is a different policy

A standard homeowners policy does not cover flood damage. TDI says you need a separate flood policy, often through the National Flood Insurance Program, and that most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period, so it is late to buy coverage as a storm approaches. TDI also notes that more than half of the homes flooded by Hurricane Harvey were outside designated flood zones. Living outside a mapped flood zone is not the same thing as having no flood risk.

In Montgomery County, Texas, that distinction matters around Lake Conroe, the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, Spring Creek, and other local drainages, and it also matters after a Gulf hurricane. A restoration contractor may still be able to extract water and dry the house. Whether anyone pays for that work depends on the policy in force, not on this website.

Rain through a damaged roof, gradual leaks, and sewer backup

Rain that enters after a wind-damaged roof is a different fact pattern from water that rises from a street or a river. TDI’s disaster-claims FAQ is the better place to start on storm-related questions than a generic article. Two exclusions come up often enough to mention here:

Gradual leaks and seepage. TDI says most home policies do not cover water damage from gradual leaks or seepage, including mold that grows from that kind of leak.
Sewer or drain backup. TDI says coverage for water or sewage that enters through sewers or drains depends on the policy. Some policies cover it; others need an endorsement or do not cover it.

Mold after a sudden, accidental water event is often treated as part of that event; mold from a long, ignored leak or from a flood is often not. Again, that is TDI’s general description, not a ruling on your claim.

Local photo coming soon

No insurance paperwork should be photographed if it shows an account number or a name you do not have permission to publish. A better local photo is a wet interior room or a sandbagged lake-area street, taken from a public place.

Insurance questions are easier to explain with a real local water event than with a stock photo of a clipboard.

What we will and will not do

If you request a visit, we forward the request to an independent partner contractor. That company may document damage, take moisture readings, and give you invoices you can share with your insurer. You remain the person who files and discusses the claim. We will not negotiate with the insurance company for you, and we will not tell you that a claim “will be covered.”

Phone: (XXX) XXX-XXXX Phone number coming soon. Calls may be recorded.

Sources cited on this page

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