Water damage claims are the second most common claims made by homeowners in the United States only following wind and hail damages, according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Every year one in every 50 homeowners makes a water damage claim — that’s about 1,739,717 claims each year.

There are around five different types of water damage that will most likely be covered by homeowner’s insurance: flood, leaks (pipes/accidental discharge), sewer backup, overflow, and storm-related damage. Most insurance cover claims that occur because of outside forces and accidents that couldn’t have been avoided. Because there are damages that could have been avoided by homeowners taking inventory of their home, the water damage created by leaky pipes or leaking cracks is most likely not going to be covered by claims. Mold, rot, and corrosion are also often not covered by homeowner’s insurance either.

Sometimes water damage claims may not cover all the damage caused, but it may include some parts of the damage. For example, the water damage caused by a broken pipe/appliance might be covered while the pipe or machine may not be. This is often known as “resulting damage” as it’s the resulting damage caused by the pipe or appliance instead of the cause of the damage itself.

The main thing to remember when it comes to water damage claims is that gradual damage will most likely not be covered by homeowner’s insurance. It’s essential to communicate with your insurance provider and do regular maintenance on your home to know what will be covered by your insurance and the state of your home.