Does insurance cover damage from a year ago?

Answer 1

There are two issues implicated in the question. First, property insurance does not generally cover pre-existing damage (that is, damage that was incurred prior to the inception of coverage). Thus is largely because no premium was paid to the insurer for taking on that risk.

The second issue is that of late notice. Most insurance policies contain a provision requiring the insured to report the occurrence "as soon as practicable" after the occurrence. They reserve the right to deny the claim for late notice if it can be shown that its rights have been prejudiced by the delay.

If it is a liability claim, the prejudice may arise from the inability to investigate, interview witnesses, etc. If it is a property claim, the prejudice may arise from the fact that the delay resulted in the exacerbation of damages, or prejudice to subrogation rights.