Water Damage Insurance Claims in New Hampshire: What's Covered

Water damage insurance claims in New Hampshire

Which policy pays depends on where the water came from. Sudden water from inside (a burst pipe, a failed water heater) is the classic homeowners claim. Flood water from outside needs a flood policy; the NH Insurance Department has said most homeowners policies exclude flood. Sewer backup usually needs its own endorsement.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Sources listed at the end

Which water, which policy

Cause	Usually covered by	Watch for
Burst or frozen pipe	Homeowners	Exclusions if the house was left unheated or vacant
Ice dam leak	Homeowners, for the interior damage	Removing the ice may not be covered
Water heater, washer, toilet	Homeowners, if sudden	Slow, long-term leaks are often excluded
Sewer or drain backup	A sewer backup endorsement	Excluded from many base policies
River or surface flooding	A flood policy (NFIP or private)	NFIP basements cover only some items
Water from fighting a fire	Homeowners, as part of the fire loss	Dry it fast; mold may be limited

Flood insurance

The federal flood program covers buildings up to $250,000 and contents up to $100,000, and a new policy usually takes 30 days to start (FloodSmart). In a basement it covers some things (furnaces, water heaters, washers, cleanup) and not finished walls, floors or most contents (FEMA). Flood isn't only a riverfront problem here: about 45% of paid flood claims in the ZIP codes we cover were on properties rated outside the high-risk A and V zones (OpenFEMA).

Flood insurance claims per year, the 21 ZIP codes we cover

Source: OpenFEMA NFIP redacted claims, by year of loss. Years with no claims are left out.

Documenting the loss

Report it the day you find it. A delay can let an insurer call it long-term seepage.
Photograph and video before anything is moved, then during cleanup.
Keep the plumber's or roofer's note on the cause.
Ask the restoration company for its moisture readings and photos at the start and the end.
Keep receipts for emergency costs: equipment, a hotel, meals.

Before a contractor starts

Read what you sign. A work authorization is normal. An assignment of benefits hands your claim, or your right to be paid, to the company; you can decline it and still hire them. If a salesperson signed you up at home, New Hampshire's home solicitation law lets you cancel a sale of $150 or more before midnight of the third business day (RSA 361-B:2). Questions about your policy can go to the NH Insurance Department's consumer services line.

Questions Manchester homeowners ask

Will homeowners insurance cover water damage?

Usually when the water is sudden and accidental, like a burst pipe, and usually not when it is flood water from outside, which needs a separate flood policy. The NH Insurance Department has said most homeowners policies exclude flood damage. Sewer backup is often excluded too unless you added an endorsement. Read your policy and ask your agent.

Can my insurer make me use its restoration company?

Generally you can choose your own restoration company. Ask your insurer in writing how it handles a company that is not on its list, and read every form the company hands you, including any that assigns your benefits or directs payment to them.

Will a water damage claim get my policy dropped?

It can affect renewal. Before filing a small claim, compare the repair cost with your deductible and ask your agent how claims affect your renewal. Report a real loss promptly either way; waiting can give the insurer a reason to call it long-term seepage.