March 2026: Asking for a Friend
Insurance can be confusing — and most people have questions they feel like they should already know the answer to.
That’s where Asking for a Friend comes in.
This monthly feature tackles real insurance questions we hear all the time — the ones people hesitate to ask because they don’t want to sound uninformed. (Spoiler: you’re not.)
No jargon. No judgment. Just clear, honest answers to help you make sense of how coverage actually works in real life.
Have a question of your own?
You’re probably not the only one wondering.
We’ll answer one or more questions each month — anonymously — in our newsletter and on the blog.
👀 ASKING FOR A FRIEND Kennton Hoffman, Founder/CEO
March 2026
Q: If my basement floods from heavy rain, is that covered by my homeowners insurance?
A: Great question — and the frustrating answer is: it depends on where the water came from and how it got in. In any water loss, the first thing we look at is the source and path of the water.
Here are the most common scenarios:
1) “Flooding” from heavy rain (outside water rising/entering): usually NO
Traditional homeowners policies typically do not cover flood damage. That’s usually something you’d need a separate flood policy for.
2) Water coming in through a door, window, or window well: usually A FLOOD POLICY
If water enters through a man-made opening (like a door or window well), that’s generally considered flood-type damage and is typically handled (if covered) by a flood policy, not a homeowners policy.
3) Sump pump failure or sewer/drain backup: possibly YES (if you added the right coverage)
If water comes up through a floor drain, backs up from the sewer system, or spills from a sump pump well, you may have coverage under your homeowners policy if you’ve selected “Water Backup of Sewage and Drain” coverage. Not everyone has it automatically — it’s usually an add-on.
4) Seepage (water coming in where the wall meets the floor/stem wall): almost always NO
If water seeps in through the foundation area (often where the walls meet the floor), that’s commonly called seepage, and seepage is almost always excluded under standard homeowners policies. Some carriers in other states have started offering limited add-ons, but availability varies a lot by carrier and state — and it’s uncommon in Kansas.
5) Hydrostatic pressure: rare and tricky — SOMETIMES COVERED by certain carriers
This is less common, but it happens. Some carriers may cover it, but many do not. If you’re curious, it’s worth looking up “hydrostatic pressure” for a deeper explanation — it’s a unique cause of basement water issues.
Bottom line:
If your basement took on water and you’re not sure how it happened, we can help you figure out what category it falls into.
If you want to submit a follow-up with what happened (where the water came in / what you noticed first), I may be able to shed more light on your specific situation.
Pro tip:
Before you assume it’s not covered — or file a claim —
call or
email us. Sometimes a 2-minute conversation saves a lot of frustration.
