In NJ, (different states may have different laws) I had to get flood insurance by law because I was in a "flood Zone" River Levees eventually eliminated that. The other side of town next to another River, flooded bad one time.

Sheesh Kelly, when it rain's it pours (cheesy pun intended )! Everyone has given you good advice already. I don't understand people sometimes, if he keeps waiting it's just gonna cost him more money to fix. I'd be worried about the mold too. If you can smell the damp wood there's probably A LOT of moisture up there.

Kelly, if you have water dripping through the ceiling...then you have had a leak for some time. It takes a good bit of water to breakdown that drywall to that point. I would ask the homeowner to get someone to inspect that area for mold and wood rot. Heck I'd even insist he get a termite inspection too. We had a similar leak in a closet ...in a rental house. The wet area attracted termites and they ate wood, drywall paper and books that were stored in that closet.

You need to talk to your ins again if you're worried about what they cover. A leaky roof is not the same as a flood, and the coverage you need is different, if that's what you asked them about.

There is also a differance between if a dishwasher or toilet is the source of flooding or if it's rain, if a sump pump quits, etc. Ins co's are tricky that way.

I sold an expensive basement floor to a couple who had flood insurance. Their sump pump died a few months later and their ins refused to pay, because that was equipment failure.

The manufacturer of the material would not pay either, although the product was water resistant and specified for below grade. It was not garanteed for water proof. Those people were out a few thousand dollars!



I later recommended a customer check her ins to see what it covered, and she must have done it. Because we went out on an insured replacement after the floor we installed was destroyed when an upstairs toilet seal leaked.

Water went down to first floor and ruined the kitchen floor - she got a whole new floor paid for.