Does homeowners insurance cover hardwood floor damage

Wood rot is typically not covered by homeowners insurance unless it is caused by a covered in peril in your policy.

Homeowners insurance provides coverage against sudden and accidental water damage, so if a pipe bursts and causes wood rot to your floor or ceiling joists, your insurer may cover the cost of repairs. But any growth of fungus or wet rot that happens over time typically won’t be covered.

If the damage is covered, whether or not you should file a claim will depend on the extent of the damage and repair costs.

Key takeaways

• Most causes of wood rot are excluded from homeowners insurance coverage.

• Homeowners insurance may cover wood rot if the damage is caused by a covered peril, like sudden and accidental water damage from a burst pipe.

• If the wood rots over time or because of a lack of upkeep, homeowners insurance won’t cover repairs.

When does home insurance cover wood rot?

Homeowners insurance may pay to replace rotted wood if the rot was caused by a covered peril. 

Here’s an example.

Say your water heater ruptures and the water damage results in wood rot beneath your floors or somewhere else out of sight, homeowners insurance might cover the loss. 

Keep in mind that homeowners insurance typically doesn’t cover mold or fungal growth, which is what can cause wood rot. So if your wooden window frame eventually molds and rots because of a gradual leak, you wouldn’t be covered.

When you file a claim you have to pay a deductible, which is the amount of money you first have to pay your insurance company before they kick in the rest. If your deductible is more expensive than the cost of repairs then you won’t be able to file a claim.

Like mold and other types of fungus, dry rot typically isn’t covered by homeowners insurance. Dry rot generally occurs because of humidity and poor ventilation, which are seen as preventable risks by your homeowners insurance company.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover maintenance issues, and since dry rot is basically wood decay, it likely wouldn’t be covered by homeowners insurance.

When does home insurance not cover rotted wood?

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover preventable damage, which is why wood rot is rarely covered. Homeowners insurance never covers the following: 

• Wear and tear

• Damage that occurs gradually over time

• Maintenance issues 

Home insurance only covers mold or fungus growth under specific conditions. If a leaking pipe or increase in humidity slowly causes wood rot, it wouldn’t be covered. Or if your window seals aren’t maintained properly and rain gets in and rots your floors, you also wouldn’t be covered. Homeowners insurance also does not cover pest infestations, so if termites destroy your wood furniture or cause wood rot in your cabinets, you wouldn’t be covered.

Homeowners insurance excludes coverage for flood damage as well. If you live in an area that’s high risk for flood damage, you should consider purchasing a flood insurance policy.

A house without a floor isn't much use to anyone. If your floor has a gaping hole in it, however, that doesn't guarantee your homeowners insurance will pay to fix or replace it. The coverage for any given claim depends on the policy terms, the amount of your coverage and the nature of the damage. In some cases, homeowners insurance won't help at all.

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

As long as the damage was caused by a peril that is listed in your homeowners insurance policy, the company will pay to replace your floors.

Likely Coverage

Most homeowners insurance policies probably provide either "HO-2" or "HO-3" coverage. An HO-2 policy insures your building, including the floor, against 13 different threats, including fire, cars or planes hitting the house, a pipe or water heater rupturing and accidental electrical discharge.

Damage isn't covered if the cause isn't on the list. With HO-3, you're protected against loss and damage from any source that isn't specifically excluded in the policy. HO-6 policies for condo owners provide coverage equivalent to an HO-2.

What Is Excluded

No matter whether you have HO-2, HO-3 or HO-6, some types of damage your policy won't cover. Floor damage from flooding is only covered if you have flood insurance. The insurance industry defines flooding as damage caused by water after it touches the ground, as opposed to damage from a bursting pipe or rain coming through your roof.

Earthquake coverage requires an earthquake policy. Homeowners insurance also won't cover floor replacement if the damage is due to lack of maintenance, ordinary wear and tear or termites.

What Payout to Expect

If your policy covers the damage to your floor, the next question is how much money you can collect. When you took out your policy, you paid for a certain level of insurance: Your policy will pay up to the maximum coverage, minus your deductible.

If you bought an "actual cash value" policy, that's an exception: These policies are cheaper, but they only cover the original cost of the floor, less depreciation from age, which may not pay for a new floor. Replacement-value policies provide more coverage.

Other Coverages

If you have to move out until the new floor is in place, most homeowners policies cover emergency living expenses such as hotel bills and restaurant meals. There's a limit to how much your insurer will reimburse you for, so keep your expenses under the maximum. Homeowners insurance also pays for contents damage: If a truck hits your house and caves in the upper floor, your policy pays to replace furniture, appliances and other items destroyed in the collapse.

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Writer Bio

A graduate of Oberlin College, Fraser Sherman began writing in 1981. Since then he's researched and written newspaper and magazine stories on city government, court cases, business, real estate and finance, the uses of new technologies and film history. Sherman has worked for more than a decade as a newspaper reporter, and his magazine articles have been published in "Newsweek," "Air & Space," "Backpacker" and "Boys' Life." Sherman is also the author of three film reference books, with a fourth currently under way.

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