Shall I call insurance co. second water backup while I still have not received payment for 1st incident?
I have a house for one and half years. I had water damage from water/sewer backup in basement. It was the first time I experienced and immediately reported to my insurance company. The insurance company sent some emergency cleaners and cleaned up the water, and meanwhile the insurance company told me it is due to city's fault as far as they are aware. But about two weeks later from the first water damage incident. The basement had water/sewer backup again and water level was worse. I am still waiting for the insurance company to complete the estimates for the damage coverage and I have not received any payment. There was a major difference from the insurance's adjuster's estimate and several estimates from the contractors I contacted (the insurance told me that I could have 3rd party estimates) and was waiting for an settlement form the insurance for the cost of repairs, and these all happened during the holiday period.
My questions: Shall I report the second water damage? It is now 2 weeks past the 2nd water damage accident. I had some hesitations, due to the following insurance exclusions: the insurance company does not insure damage from continuous or repeated seepage, leakage, discharge or overflow of water. I was wondering if I informed my insurance co. the second water damage, will that trigger them to think to use the above exclusion. I am also somewhat afraid the insurance co. may much more eager to pursue the city for the liability, and then the city may really send someone to my house and it might turn out not be the city’s fault.
My other questions, if I inform the insurance co. the second water damage accident now, will that make more compensation for the damage? Or at least, will that make the insurance co. to be more willing to pay the high end of the 3rd party estimates. Or on the other hand, the insurance co. may question my credibility because I should report to them earlier, and this might even complicated my wait for the payment for the first water damage incident?
