A guide to home damage.
Learn about how your Massachusetts homeowners policy can protect you from flooding, water damage, fires, and more.
In short: Claims are handled based on the cause, not the damage.
(Because two identical water stains can be two very different claims.)
Sudden and accidental damage is usually covered.
Flooding isn't, at least not on a standard policy.
Protect your home and take photos before you clean anything up.
Nobody plans for a burst pipe or a kitchen fire. But when it happens, knowing how your policy works makes the next few days a whole lot less stressful.
This guide from Nobile is for informational purposes only. Coverage varies by carrier and policy.
How your policy looks at damage.
Last updated October 2026
A homeowners policy is a few coverages working together. When something gets damaged, these are the ones that usually come into play. For the full breakdown, see our First-Time Homeowner Insurance Guide.
Dwelling Coverage
Pays to repair the structure of your home, including the roof, walls, floors, and anything built in.
Other Structures
Covers detached structures on your property like a garage, shed, or fence.
Personal Property
Covers your belongings, including furniture, clothing, and electronics, when they're damaged by a covered event.
Additional Living Expenses (ALE)
Also called Loss of Use coverage. If a covered event makes your home temporarily uninhabitable, ALE pays for your hotel, meals, and other living expenses above what you'd normally spend.
When you file a claim, the first question isn't how bad the damage is. It's what caused it. If the cause is covered, the damage it created usually is too.
Important to note: The thing that broke usually isn't covered. If your dishwasher suddenly leaks and ruins your kitchen floor, the floor is a claim. The dishwasher is a repair, because insurance covers sudden, unexpected losses, not wear and tear.
Water damage that is typically covered
Last updated October 2026
Water is one of the most common reasons people file a home claim, and it's also the most confusing. Here's what a standard policy usually covers:
Burst Pipes
If a pipe suddenly bursts, the water damage it causes is typically covered. That includes pipes that freeze and burst, as long as you kept the house reasonably heated.
Appliance Leaks
If your washing machine, water heater, or dishwasher suddenly leaks or overflows, the damage to your home is typically covered. The appliance itself is not.
Storm Damage to Your Roof or Windows
If wind or a storm damages your roof or breaks a window and rain gets in, the resulting water damage is typically covered.
Water damage that is typically not covered
Last updated October 2026
Just as important as knowing what's covered is knowing what isn't. Standard homeowners policies usually do not cover:
Slow Leaks
Leaks that happen gradually over weeks or months are treated as a maintenance issue, not a sudden loss.
Basement Seepage
Groundwater that seeps through your basement walls or floor isn't covered by a standard homeowners, condo, or renters policy, and it isn't something you can add on.
Sewer Backup and Sump Pump Failure
Water that backs up through a drain or comes in when a sump pump fails isn't covered on a standard policy. The good news: many carriers offer an add-on for it, and it's one of the most worthwhile upgrades you can make.
Mold from Long-Term Moisture
If mold results from a covered event like a burst pipe, it's typically covered. If it results from a flood or long-term moisture problem, it's not.
Floods
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. More on that below.
Flooding is its own policy.
Standard homeowners, condo, and renters policies don't cover flood damage to your home or your belongings. You'll need a separate flood policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer.
NFIP vs. Private Flood
The two aren't identical. A private flood policy typically helps with living expenses if a flood forces you out of your home. An NFIP policy doesn't.
Basements
NFIP coverage in basements is limited. It covers fixed equipment like your furnace, water heater, and central air, plus a few items like a washer, dryer, or freezer. Most other belongings in a basement aren't covered.
Timing
New flood policies usually have a waiting period before they take effect, so this isn't coverage you can buy when the forecast turns.
Your Car
If your car is caught in a flood, neither your homeowners nor your flood policy covers it. That falls under comprehensive coverage on your auto policy.
Winter damage.
Nor'easters, ice dams, and frozen pipes are real risks in Massachusetts. Here's how a standard policy usually handles them.
Ice Dams
Ice dams form when snow melts and refreezes at the edge of your roof, backing water up under your shingles and into your home. The interior damage is typically covered, but removing the ice dam itself usually isn't.
Important to note: If you've had ice dams before, they tend to come back in the same spots until the underlying cause is fixed. Good attic insulation, proper roof ventilation, clear gutters, and a roof rake after heavy snow all help.
Frozen Pipes
Damage from a pipe that freezes and bursts is usually covered, but only if you took reasonable steps to prevent it. If the heat was turned way down while you were away and a pipe froze, the claim could be denied.
Heavy Snow and Ice
If the weight of snow or ice damages your roof, that's typically covered under your dwelling coverage.
Fire and lightning.
Fire is one of the core things a homeowners policy is built for.
Accidental Fires
Accidental fires, whether from wiring, a fireplace, a fire pit, or the kitchen, are generally covered. That includes damage to detached structures like a garage or shed.
Lightning
Lightning, and fire caused by lightning, is covered in almost every homeowners policy.
If You Can't Stay Home
If a fire makes your home uninhabitable, Additional Living Expenses coverage helps pay for a place to stay and meals while it's repaired. Keep every receipt.
Wind, storms, and fallen trees.
Wind Damage
Wind damage to your roof, siding, or windows is generally covered, along with any rain that gets in through the damage.
Fallen Trees
If a tree comes down in your yard but doesn't hit your house or another covered structure, a standard policy usually won't pay to clean it up. If it lands on the house, that's a different story.
Storm Deductibles
Some policies carry a separate deductible for wind or hurricane damage. It's worth checking your deductible every year at renewal to make sure it still fits your situation.
Additional coverage worth asking about.
A standard policy leaves some gaps. Depending on the carrier, you may be able to add:
Water Backup and Sump Pump Coverage
Covers water that comes up through drains or in from a failed sump pump.
Service Line Coverage
Covers the water and sewer lines on your property, which homeowners are often responsible for without realizing it.
Equipment Breakdown
Covers home systems like your furnace, central air, and water heater if they break down.
Scheduled Personal Property
Covers jewelry, instruments, cameras, and other valuables for their full value. In some cases it can even extend to flood damage.
See our page about it to learn more.
Food Spoilage
A standard policy usually won't cover spoiled food from a power outage that starts off your property. Some carriers may offer limited coverage for it.
Availability varies by carrier and policy. Eligibility factors apply. As an independent agency, we can compare across carriers to find the combination that fits your home.
Home damaged? Here's what to do, step-by-step.
(1) Make sure everyone is safe.
If there's fire, structural damage, or a gas smell, get out first and call for help.
(2) Stop the damage from getting worse.
Shut off the water, tarp the roof, board up a broken window, and move your belongings somewhere dry. You don't need to wait for your carrier to start these.
Important to note: Reasonable emergency repairs are usually covered, including hiring someone to do them. The cost counts toward your coverage limit.
(3) Take photos and videos before you clean up.
Capture everything exactly as you found it.
(4) Start drying things out.
The sooner wet areas dry, the lower the chance of mold.
(5) Don't throw out damaged items yet.
Hold onto anything that might be a total loss until the adjuster has seen it.
(6) Contact your carrier.
Reach out to your carrier as soon as possible.
If needed, we’ll help you report the claim and walk you through what comes next.
(7) Keep every receipt and record.
Emergency repairs, supplies, hotel stays, meals.
(8) Meet with the claim adjuster.
They'll inspect the damage and put together an estimate. Let them know about any emergency repairs you've already made. If you find more damage after your claim is settled, contact your carrier right away.
How claim payments work.
Replacement Cost
Pays what it actually costs to repair or replace something today. For belongings, the company usually pays a depreciated amount first, then pays the rest once you replace the item and send in your receipts.
Actual Cash Value
Pays what the item was worth at the time of the loss, after depreciation. An older couch gets paid as an older couch, not a new one.
Insuring to Value
With replacement cost coverage on your home, carriers generally require you to insure it for at least 80% of what it would cost to rebuild. If your coverage falls below that, your payment can be reduced, even on a small claim.
If the Estimates Don't Match
If your contractor's estimate is higher than the insurance offer, the fastest fix is usually to have your contractor and the adjuster meet at the house together. If you still can't agree, you can contact the Massachusetts Division of Insurance's Consumer Services Unit.
Preventing damage before it happens.
Know where your main water shutoff is, and make sure everyone in the house does too.
Check the hoses on your washing machine, dishwasher, water heater, and fridge.
Keep gutters and downspouts clear and pointed away from the house.
Keep the heat on through the winter, even when you're away.
Consider a leak detector or an automatic water shutoff device.
Test your smoke detectors regularly.
Home Damage FAQs
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Yes, for emergency and temporary repairs. Most policies cover the reasonable cost of things like boarding up windows or patching a hole in the roof. Photograph the damage first and keep your receipts.
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It depends on why it's leaking. If a storm damaged the roof, the resulting interior damage is usually covered. If it's leaking because it's old and worn out, that's typically treated as maintenance.
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Usually only when the mold comes from a sudden, accidental event the policy already covers, like a burst pipe.
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It may. If you're not sure whether a claim is worth filing, get in touch with us first.
Email us at hello@nobileinsurance.com.
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Renters insurance works a lot like homeowners insurance for your belongings. Damage to the building itself is your landlord's responsibility.
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That's an auto claim, not a home claim. It's covered if you carry comprehensive coverage on your auto policy.
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