Sump pump failed? The clock started when the water hit the floor.

The short answer

Sump pump failure water is usually Category 2 (it has been through the ground and the pit), so basement contents and porous materials it touched need more than a shop-vac and a fan. Standard homeowners policies often exclude sump failure unless you carry a water backup / sump overflow endorsement — check your declarations page for "water backup" coverage, typically a $5,000–$25,000 rider.

What we do about it

1. 1.Make the basement safe. Electricity and standing water share a room in most basement floods. We verify power is safe, then extract standing water fast.
2. 2.Sort what the water touched. Concrete and glazed surfaces clean and dry. Carpet pad, cardboard, and particle-board furniture that soaked in ground water usually do not — we document everything we remove, item by item, for the claim.
3. 3.Dry and treat. Structural drying with dehumidification, plus antimicrobial treatment where ground water sat — that is what keeps a flooded basement from becoming a mold job in three weeks.
4. 4.Handle the claim. If you carry water-backup coverage, this is exactly what it exists for. We photograph before we touch anything, log the drying, and bill your carrier directly — you cover your deductible.