Snow & Ice Coverage; Know before(and after) the snow:

 Are you covered for snow and ice damage to your home?

It depends on the type of policy;

The most common homeowners policy is the H03 (also known as a “deluxe” policy). This policy covers all risks of physical loss except for those specifically excluded in the policy. This form covers ice dam/ water damage to building components only – personal property is NOT covered in this case.

Another form of policy is the H02 (also known as a “standard” policy). The H02 is a named peril policy which means that it lists the covered perils. This policy does NOT cover ice dam claims.

What is an Ice dam?

An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining off the roof. Dams can cause gutters to separate from your roof, loosen shingles, and even cause interior water damage.

How to prevent ice dams

Ice dams only occur when the roof/attic area is warm enough to melt the snow atop of the roof. Therefor if your home is suffering from ice dams you may want to try some of these steps;

• Install roof and soffit vents
• Close up attic bypasses
• Install metal edging (the rough texture of roof shingles acts as a grip for the ice, holding it in place). Metal edging will allow the ice to slide off.
• If necessary, electric warmers can be installed under the edge of the roof.

P.S.

Weight of ice and snow is different from ice dams, and is covered under both the H02 and H03 policies. Also depending on the form in question, generally personal property is NOT covered for water damage from snow or rain. Unless! The exterior of the house is first damaged by a force of wind, entire or partial roof collapse allowing the water to enter through such opening.