All types of basement flooding, including infiltration, overland and sewer backup flooding, can lead to considerable damages to the home and property within the home. Even if municipal governments and private homeowners have taken all reasonable actions to reduce basement flooding, there will always be a chance that basement flooding will occur.

Insurance companies and municipal governments have begun to recognize that one of the main culprits for damages in basement flooding events is the use of finished basements as additional living spaces. When flooding happens in a finished basement, damages can be very significant because of damages to carpeting and floor coverings, drywall and wall coverings, not to mention damage to home theatre equipment and furniture.

In many cases, damages caused by basement flooding are not eligible for insurance coverage, especially those caused by overland flooding and infiltration flooding.

If your basement is subject to infiltration, overland or sewer backup flooding, consider leaving it unfinished and only using it for limited storage. This may be the best way to prevent severe damages when the basement floods.