Frequently Asked Questions

Usually yes, in part. A sudden and accidental discharge of water, like a supply line that bursts, is commonly covered subject to your deductible and policy exclusions, while damage from a long-running leak or seepage is commonly excluded, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Read your own policy or ask your agent, since wording varies between insurers.

Check your policy. The Texas Department of Insurance describes a sudden and accidental discharge of water as usually covered, subject to your deductible and policy exclusions; its consumer guidance does not call out freezing separately. This page is general information, not insurance advice.

Call the City of Katy main number, 281-391-4800, during business hours. After hours, on weekends, or on holidays, call the Katy Police Department at 281-391-4848, and the city says Public Works staff will be contacted for you. If a MUD serves your street instead of the city, use the number on your water bill.

It depends on the repair. Katy's Permit & Building Services Division issues permits for framing, electrical, and plumbing work inside city limits; a small cosmetic drywall patch usually does not need one. Outside the city limits, the county office for your address handles permits instead.

Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542 sets several deadlines: an insurer generally acknowledges your claim within 15 days of receiving notice of it (30 business days for an eligible surplus lines insurer), then accepts or rejects it within 15 business days of receiving your documents, and pays an accepted claim within 5 business days after it notifies you that it will pay. A weather-related catastrophe or major natural disaster, as defined by the Insurance Commissioner, adds 15 days to these deadlines.

If your insurer misses an acknowledgment, decision, or payment deadline under Texas Insurance Code Chapter 542, you can file a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance at 800-252-3439, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central, Monday through Friday, referencing the deadlines listed in the table above.

Not right away, unless it is a health or safety hazard. Photograph and inventory damaged items first, and hold onto them until your insurer or adjuster has had a chance to inspect, since discarding evidence too early can complicate your claim; for what to look for once things dry out, see signs of mold after a Katy water leak.

It depends on where your address falls. Some Katy-area neighborhoods are served by a Municipal Utility District rather than the City. Check your water bill for the provider's name, or use the TCEQ Interactive Water Utility District viewer — do not assume the City of Katy serves you based on your mailing address alone.

Call the Katy Police Department, 281-391-4848, which contacts Public Works staff for you. The City's main number, 281-391-4800, covers regular business hours. Both are City numbers — if a Municipal Utility District serves your address, contact the MUD listed on your water bill instead.

A sudden and accidental water discharge, like a pipe that suddenly bursts, is commonly covered, subject to your policy's terms, exclusions, and deductible. A slow leak that built up over time is typically treated differently and is often excluded. Check your specific policy language, since coverage details vary by insurer.

Most standard homeowners policies exclude flood damage. Flood coverage generally comes from a separate National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy, which covers up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents, with a standard 30-day wait after purchase. TWIA, the state's windstorm pool, covers wind and hail only — not flooding.

FEMA says wet materials can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours. The CDC advises drying everything within that window after a flood, and the EPA says mold generally will not grow if items are dried within that time. That is why removing soaked carpet and furniture matters early.

Minor cosmetic drywall and baseboard repair that does not touch structural framing generally does not need a permit from the City of Katy. If the repair involves framing, electrical, or plumbing work, contact the City's Permit & Building Services Division inside city limits, or the county office for your address outside city limits.

No. A public adjuster is optional. Anyone acting as one in Texas must be licensed, and the fee charged generally cannot exceed 10% of the settlement. If your insurer pays, or commits in writing to pay, the full policy limit within 72 hours of your loss report, the adjuster may not charge a percentage fee at all.

Not always. The 25-square-foot exemption applies to remediation only — a company hired for mold assessment needs a license regardless of size. Above that threshold, the remediation company needs a license too, and the same firm cannot do both jobs on one project. Owners of a residential property with fewer than 10 dwelling units may still work on their own home without one.

Use your home's main shut-off valve if you can reach it safely; do not force a valve you cannot operate. If you cannot shut off the water yourself, call the City of Katy main number, 281-391-4800, during business hours, or the Katy Police Department at 281-391-4848 after hours.

If you live inside Katy city limits, call the Katy Police Department at 281-391-4848; the department contacts Public Works for you. If a Municipal Utility District serves your address instead of the City, call the emergency number printed on your MUD's bill, not the city line.

Usually not, if the repair is cosmetic and does not touch structural framing, electrical wiring, or plumbing. Replacing wall studs, rewiring, or repiping after a flood typically does require a permit — from the City of Katy Permit & Building Services Division inside city limits, or the county office for your address outside it. For the fuller repair sequence, see the Katy burst pipe repair steps.

Check your monthly water bill or property tax statement for a district name. If neither is clear, use the City of Katy's Find My MUD District page or the TCEQ Water Districts Map Viewer, both linked earlier on this page.

It depends on where you live. Inside city limits, the City of Katy Permit & Building Services Division is the floodplain administrator. Outside the city, it is Harris County Permits (713-274-3900) or the Fort Bend County Engineering Department, depending on which side of the line your address falls on.

Enter your address into the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for the official flood zone designation. If you live in the Harris County part of Katy, the Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool adds local detail on drainage and past flooding for your area.

No. Under Texas Occupations Code §1958.102(c), mold remediation covering less than 25 contiguous square feet does not require a license. If you own the house and the mold covers more than that, §1958.102(e) still lets you or your own employee do the work yourself, with no area limit, as long as it is a residential property with fewer than 10 dwelling units.

No. Occupations Code §1958.155(a) says a license holder may not perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same project. If a company offers to test for mold and then fix it on that same job, ask how they are structuring that, since state law generally requires two separate license holders for those two roles.

Ask for the certificate of mold remediation. Texas law requires the contractor to give it to the property owner not later than the 10th day after the work is completed. Keep it with your other home records — a future buyer may be entitled to a copy under the five-year disclosure rule.

Usually not on its own. Standard Texas policies typically exclude mold except for repair tied to a water loss the policy already covers, and sublimits on that covered mold work vary by insurer. Check your declarations page or ask your insurer directly, since this page cannot tell you what your specific policy pays.

Fast. FEMA says wet carpeting, furniture, bedding, and other items holding moisture can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours, and the EPA says mold generally will not grow if wet or damp items are dried within that same window.

Ask the seller directly whether the home flooded in the Tax Day Flood of 2016 or Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and whether any mold remediation certificates exist. Texas law only requires sellers to disclose certificates from the previous five years, so older paperwork may no longer be required to hand over — ask anyway, and consider your own inspection.