Coverage explainer
What homeowners insurance doesn't cover.
Every policy has a list of exclusions buried in the contract. Here are the 12 most common — and which ones you can actually fix with an endorsement.
Flood
Surface water from rain, rivers, storm surge. Requires separate NFIP or private flood policy.
Fix: NFIP or private flood policy
Earthquake / earth movement
Excluded by default in nearly every state. Includes landslides, mudflows, and sinkholes.
Fix: Earthquake endorsement or standalone policy
Sewer & sump pump backup
Water backing up through drains or overflowing from a failed sump pump.
Fix: Water backup endorsement ($40–$100/yr)
Mold
Most policies sub-limit mold to $5k–$10k and exclude it entirely if from a long-term leak.
Fix: Mold endorsement (limited availability)
Wear and tear / maintenance
Anything caused by gradual deterioration, age, or lack of upkeep is never covered.
Fix: Not insurable — maintenance issue
Pest / vermin damage
Termites, rodents, insects. Excluded regardless of how the damage was discovered.
Fix: Not insurable
Intentional acts
Damage caused on purpose by anyone insured under the policy.
Fix: Not insurable
Business activities
Liability or property loss from a home-based business is excluded.
Fix: Home business endorsement or commercial policy
Dog bites (certain breeds)
Many carriers exclude specific breeds or any dog with a bite history.
Fix: Specialty pet liability carrier
Trampolines & pools (often)
May be excluded from liability, or require fenced enclosure & specific endorsements.
Fix: Schedule with insurer + umbrella
Power failure (off-premises)
Spoiled food and equipment damage from utility outages outside your property.
Fix: Equipment breakdown endorsement
Government action / war / nuclear
Standard exclusions across all carriers, no buy-back available.
Fix: Not insurable
Why exclusions exist
Insurance is priced on predictable risk. Floods, earthquakes, and wear and tear are either catastrophic (concentrated losses that would bankrupt a carrier in one event) or certain (every house will eventually need a new roof). Carriers exclude them so the rest of the policy stays affordable — and offer specialty products or endorsements for homeowners who want the coverage anyway.
The problem isn't that exclusions exist. It's that homeowners discover them at claim time, when it's too late to add the endorsement that would have changed the outcome.
Frequently asked
What does homeowners insurance not cover?
The big six: flood, earthquake, sewer/sump backup, mold (mostly), wear and tear, and intentional acts. Beyond that, every policy has 15–25 named exclusions in the policy form itself, plus dozens more limitations buried in endorsements.
Are mold and water damage covered by homeowners insurance?
Sudden water damage (burst pipe, washing machine line) is usually covered. Gradual leaks are not. Mold is typically sub-limited to $5,000–$10,000 — if you have it at all — and excluded entirely when it results from a long-term unaddressed leak.
Is foundation damage covered by homeowners insurance?
Almost never. Foundation cracks from settling, soil movement, hydrostatic pressure, and earth movement are excluded under nearly every standard policy. The only common covered cause is a sudden, accidental event like a vehicle striking the foundation.
How do I know what my policy excludes?
Read Section I — Exclusions in your policy form (not the declarations page). The declarations page only shows limits and endorsements; the exclusions live in the long-form policy contract, which most homeowners never open. Or upload your dec page and we'll flag the relevant ones.
Can I buy back any exclusion?
Some, yes. Water backup, ordinance & law, earthquake, equipment breakdown, scheduled valuables, and service line coverage are all common buy-backs. Wear and tear, pest damage, and intentional acts can never be insured.
Find your exclusions before a claim does.
Upload your declarations page. We'll cross-reference the exclusions in your policy form against the endorsements you actually have — and tell you what's missing.
Related reading
General information, not legal or financial advice. Coverage and limits vary by carrier and state.