Does homeowners insurance cover water main leaks

Your homeowner’s insurance should cover water damage from a plumbing malfunction, leak or broken pipe if the damage is considered sudden, accidental or unexpected. If the leak is due to worn or poorly-maintained plumbing, pipes or construction insurance will deny a claim. Water damage from neglect, as in from a leak going undetected for a long time, will not be covered.

Probable scenarios when plumbing leaks should be covered

Sudden, accidental and unexpected are the main ideas here. Think of situations where maintenance and proper care wouldn’t have made a difference.

If temperature changes, for example, a major cold spell in the winter, cause leaky pipes, this is likely covered in a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. A sudden change in water pressure causing a crack in plumbing or a pipe should be covered. Damage from weather events, such as storm damage, a tree falling on a home or pipes, a tornado or freezing weather should be covered. Damage caused by a crime, such as vandalism or a break-in, should be covered. A sudden malfunction of an appliance, say a washing machine breaking and water damaging floors, walls or other electronics, should be covered by homeowner’s insurance.

Where to Check For Leaks

Where to check for water leaks and damage

There are some common places in your home and around your property you should check regularly. Water leaks can go unnoticed, but cause a lot of wear and damage over time.

Plumbing systems enclosed in cabinets are often out-of-sight, out-of-mind until the problem is a big one.

Heating or air conditioning system units or ducts can have standing water or leaks. This often depends on the environment, geography, the slope of your property, even if the units are in sun or shade most of the time. Fire protection systems, with water lines, can have leaks that go unseen. Spaces behind or under appliances can have leaks.

Outdoors, drains, grates, pumps and heat/AC units can have leaks or standing water. These issues can lead to more costly problems if left to get worse. These types of issues likely are not covered in a standard homeowners insurance policy.

One more frequent, often water-caused, problem excluded from most insurance policies is mold.

What to do if you discover a leak

If you find a leak in your home’s plumbing system, there are steps to take to limit the damage and perhaps help have a beneficial insurance decision.

• Turn off the water, do all you can to stop the leak at the source. Even if you need to turn off the home’s water supply, this can save a huge amount of money, plumbing work and rebuilding.
• Take pictures of the leak, surrounding area and damage. This helps support your claim when filing a claim. You’ll be able to defend the accuracy of the claim better with a record of what happened and when.
• Turn off the electricity. Do not move or touch electrical wires or products if they are already in water. It’s best to turn off the electricity to as much of the house as you need to to be safe.

Additional insurance options

Water damage may force secondary, yet major, problems which could be covered by clauses in your homeowner’s insurance policy. It may be annoying fine print, but it’s best to know exactly what your insurance policy says and covers.

Possible clauses or coverage options available could be personal property coverage, dwelling coverage clause and living expenses coverage. Dwelling coverage is for the main structure of your house. Living expenses coverage repays a holder for expenses such as hotel, food and gas if you’re forced to leave your home.

Additional policy options or riders may include sewer backup coverage – to protect against sewer damage on parts of a home or property. Flood insurance coverage is usually a fully separate policy to consider.

South End Plumbing specializes in leak repair, so remember, we are just a click away. We also specialize in drain cameras – give us a call! South End Plumbing is one of the only companies that will give you a free estimate. Call us at 704-919-1722 or fill out the form online to schedule a visit.

Home insurance is pretty complex, and one of the areas that causes the most confusion for homeowners is water damage coverage. Certain types of water damage are covered by most policies, but it all depends on the cause. Here's what homeowners need to know about water damage insurance.

What homeowners need to know about water damage coverage

Water damage is generally covered by a homeowners insurance policy if it happened as a result of a sudden, unexpected event. But if the water damage occurred because of a mistake on the homeowner's part, like a lack of maintenance, it usually isn't covered.

For example, an insurance company will often pay for repairs due to a burst water pipe if that pipe truly burst out of the blue. But if it was corroded, many won't cover it. This is not considered an unexpected event because anyone who looked at the pipe could see that it was likely to fail soon.

Whether mold damage and removal are covered also depends on the cause of the water damage. If the homeowner is considered responsible for the damage, they'll need to pay for repairs on their own.

What types of water damage are covered by homeowners insurance?

Here's a closer look at which types of water damage are usually covered by a home insurance policy:

Broken pipes

As discussed above, pipes that burst unexpectedly are covered by most homeowners insurance policies.

Rain damage

Rain damage is usually covered if the roof was compromised by severe weather. For example, if a tornado ripped the roof off of a home, insurers would cover the resulting rain damage.

Water line breaks

Similar to broken pipes, water line breaks are covered as long as they're not the homeowners fault due to poor maintenance.

Sump pump failure

Sump pump failure usually isn't covered under a basic homeowners insurance policy. But most insurers enable customers to purchase riders that protect against damage due to sump pump failure.

Types of water damage not covered by homeowners insurance

Here are a few common types of water damage that homeowners insurance doesn't cover:

Flood damage

While floods are technically unexpected, they're not covered under a traditional homeowners insurance policy due to the high cost of repairs from flood damage. But homeowners can still purchase protection against floods. Read on for more details.

Rusty or corroded pipes

Rusty or corroded pipes are considered a maintenance issue and any damage that results from them bursting isn't covered by home insurance. Homeowners who notice signs of wear and tear on their plumbing should take steps to repair or replace them right away.

Leaking roof

Roof leaks and damage caused by them aren't covered if they happen as a result of the roof's age. Homeowners must take steps to replace roofs before they start leaking to avoid expensive water damage to their homes.

Leaking appliances

Leaking toilets, water heaters, or other water-using fixtures in the home aren't typically covered under a home insurance policy. It's the homeowners responsibility to perform the routine maintenance their appliances require to keep them in good condition. When one does begin to leak, the homeowner should contact a repair person promptly.

Water main breaks

Water main breaks are usually the responsibility of the local municipality, not the homeowner. So a typical homeowners insurance policy won't cover damage resulting from them.

How to file an insurance claim for water damage

When water damage happens, here's what homeowners need to do:

1. Verify that the homeowners insurance policy covers the water damage. Read through the policy terms or contact the insurer to learn if it covers the cause of the water damage.
2. Think about whether filing a claim makes sense. Filing a claim can raise your premiums, so it only makes sense to do so if the total cost of the damages is more than the deductible. Those who are unfamiliar with the finer points of insurance premiums and deductibles should check out our homeowners insurance coverage overview.
3. Contact the insurer to notify it of the situation. It's best to do this as soon as possible so homeowners can get the damage fixed quickly.
4. Document the damage. Take photos or videos showing the water damage and any resulting mold or other issues and submit them to the insurance company. Many have online portals where customers can upload photos of the water damage to speed up their claim.
5. Make any necessary emergency repairs. The homeowner should take whatever immediate action is necessary to prevent further damage, like covering a hole in a roof. Many home insurers actually require homeowners to do this for their claims to be covered. Hold onto any receipts for these repairs and submit them to the insurer.
6. Await the insurance adjuster. The insurance company will work with the homeowner to schedule a time for a claims adjuster to come look at the damage. They will help the company arrive at a final claim settlement.
7. Follow up as necessary. The insurance company should keep the homeowner informed of their progress. But the homeowner can always reach out to the company to find out what's going on if they're not sure.

How to prevent water damage in your home

Homeowners can take the following steps to prevent water damage in their homes:

• Be proactive about maintenance. Review the maintenance recommendations for all appliances and periodically check pipes for signs of wear. Contact a repair technician at the first sign of a problem.
• Clean gutters and downspouts every year. This helps water drain away from the home and can reduce the risk of water seepage into basements.
• Insulate pipes in the winter. This can reduce the risk of pipes freezing and bursting.

Water damage vs. flood damage

Flooding certainly appears to be a form of water damage, especially for worried homeowners who are dealing with the mess a flood left behind. But in the eyes of home insurers, the two are different. Floods are usually caused by natural disasters, like heavy rains or hurricanes, while covered water damage is usually caused by some sort of broken pipe or fixture, though storm damage could be a contributing factor.

Homeowners who want protection from floods must invest in a separate flood insurance policy. These policies are offered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and focus exclusively on flood damage. They can be pretty expensive, but they can also provide invaluable protection for homeowners. Some mortgage lenders even require homeowners to carry flood insurance if they live in an area that's prone to floods.