Extracting Flood Damage – Portland, ME
A seaside restaurant in Portland, ME is flooded after a coastal storm. Several areas of the restaurant are water filled and damaged from the heavy rains. The owner of the restaurant realized he needed a disaster relief company for extracting flood damage from his restaurant, though he was concerned about what his insurance company would cover.
Understanding Insurance Coverages
Unfortunately, in New England, where storms are so damaging, your insurance policy may not cover all that you think it does. For example, water damage from a broken pipe may be covered, but water damage from storm ground water may not. Instead, one may need to invest in a flood insurance plan. This is the case of the owner of the restaurant in Portland, ME, whose restaurant resides by the water, because the damage was more than just the typical water damage covered in most basic plans.
What Will Commercial Insurance Cover?
It is your responsibility to understand your insurance coverages for your business. Commercial insurance will typically cover water damage that is sudden and accidental, with the requirement that it is not ground water flooding. Here are some items to review with your local insurance agent. Ask them if you are covered for the following and it there are any limits on coverage:
- Theft
- Fire or lightning
- Windstorm or hail
- Smoke
- Falling objects
- Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
- Vandalism
- Explosions
- Riots and civil disturbances
- Aircraft and vehicles
- Volcanic eruption
- Overflow or freezing of pipes, AC, fire sprinkler, or other appliances within one’s household
- Tears, cracks, and burns in water, heat, AC, or fire sprinkler systems
- Sewer/septic backups
- Damage from electrical currents within appliances
- Most other perils, except for floods, earthquakes, and sinkholes
- Anything specific to your business or unique situation pertaining to your daily operations
In the case of water damage, most cases should be a covered loss, but you don’t want to get caught off guard. Have your agent explain your policy. You don’t want to incur surprise expenses which only add to the frustration of dealing with extracting flood damage and dealing with costly business interruption.
Insurance Claims for Property Damage Cleanup
Some insurance situations may require their own specialized policies. There are policies built exclusively for these disasters, such as ground water flooding or earthquakes. Most insurance will also not cover one’s neglect or failure to make repairs, wear and tear, corrosion and rust, contamination, animals and pests, fungi, nuclear hazards, power failure and government actions and war. Keep in mind that insurance exclusions differ between companies and from state to state. It is important that one knows what their company offers, as well as what their state offers, since New Hampshire and Maine may differ from each other in terms of what is covered.
Considering where one resides, one may consider looking into coverage for extracting flood damage. The restaurant owner in Portland, ME had invested in a flood damage policy, knowing that he was prone to flooding by living along a New England shoreline. When the owner put in the insurance claim, he was relieved when coverages were confirmed.
Extracting Flood Damage in Portland, ME
The restaurant owner in Portland, ME called Soil-Away Cleaning and Restoration Services, LLC for extracting flood damage. The customer service representatives from Soil-Away were cooperative over the phone and gave a detailed description about their company and damage restoration process. After reaching an agreement, Soil-Away sent their IICRC-trained professionals for extracting flood damage from the restaurant in Portland, ME. The owner was satisfied that an agreement was made and that the technicians completed the extraction quickly and efficiently.
As several throughout New Hampshire and Maine have experienced, Soil-Away is a high-quality disaster relief company that will return your commercial property to its pre-disastrous state. Whether it is fire damage, water damage, or mold remediation, Soil-Away will work with you and your insurance company to make sure your property will be restored. Call Soil-Away today at 1-800-293-6319.
By A. Phelps
