Can you Claim for a Water Leak on Insurance?
First of all it is important to start this article by saying that this is just a general guide about water leak insurance claims. Clearly, exactly what your home insurance policy covers for you will depend on which provider you are with, what their policy cover and which elements of their cover you have chosen. If you need to know specifics about your home insurance check your policy or speak to your broker (if you use one) or to your insurance company if you’re in doubt.
Secondly, whether or not you choose to make a water leak insurance claim will depend on a number of factors which are not discussed in this article, plus your own choice / decision on whether to claim. There is an interesting guide on the ABI (Association of British Insurers) website on called ‘Burst pipes and water leaks’. We have our own article on burst pipes too, looking at the 5 main causes.
Water Leaks, which are commonly know as ‘Escape of Water’ in the insurance trade are one of the most common types of claims that people make on their home insurance and it is generally covered as standard for many insurance policies (do check though!). Water leak insurance claims can possibly affect the buildings and contents side of your policy, assuming you have both.
Types of Water Leak Insurance Claims
Clearly, modern houses have a lot of rooms whereby water flows through via pipes or exits (where it is supposed to!) in things like taps, baths, showers, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers etc. In all those examples, there are waste water pipes that leave the property too. There are also other things such as central heating pipes, underfloor heating, stop taps etc. As a result, water leak insurance claims can cover many different areas of the house.
- Check out our guide to the top 10 water leak sources in your home, to see examples
- Also our guide to bathroom leaks which are one of the most common leaks or;
- Our article about the common problem of shower leaking through ceilings
- We also specifically discuss toilet water leaks
Sometimes leaks in these areas, or others, are obvious and do not require leak detection services. However, others are not and are harder to locate, which is where we can help. Hidden water leaks are, by nature, harder to find which is where expert help can be beneficial. As we always say, if you think you have a water leak – do not ignore it.
- We have a really useful guide to the top 10 possible signs of a water leak in your home
Even if you do not require help from us on finding hidden water leaks or the various elements of water leak insurance claims, we can help after a leak as we offer a range of water damage repair services too. No matter if your leak is small, large or even with flooded houses, we can help.
Trace and Access Cover
The other thing to consider whilst on the subject of water leak insurance claims is trace and access leak detection cover. We have a detailed guide to trace and access cover but, in a nutshell, it is an addition to your home insurance policy (not always standard), which covers the cost of finding and fixing your water leak. Clearly, if you have this type of cover it can be very useful to potentially cover the cost of that, on top of the more ‘standard’ water damage cover.
As we said at the very start of our page on water leak insurance claims, check your own policy to check what cover you have and get professional advice on that if needed. This can be especially useful when dealing with a leak between house and water meter.
Possible Exclusions (and Optional Extras)
A few other things to bear in mind with regard to water leaks insurance claims is that your policy will likely have some exclusions on it (some of these may be optional additions to your policy too), which is normal and for you to decide on. Again, check your policy but exclusions can cover things such as, general wear and tear, poor maintenance, property being left empty for prolonged periods (this may vary by policy) and limits of cover too. There may be optional extras such as accidental damage cover, home emergency cover, legal expenses cover etc.
On some insurance claims you may find that your insurance company appoints a loss adjuster to help manage key parts of the insurance claim.
Other Information on Water Leaks
We have given a quick useful overview of water leak insurance claims above, linking to some other useful resources too. The following information that we have collated on WaterLeak.co.uk might also be of use to you:
- Our water leak cost calculator
- A useful water pressure calculator
- A guide on how to read your water meter
- Information on central heating leaks
- A useful guide to F1 boiler fault codes (and others)
- You can also check out our water leak blog, with many other useful articles
- Dealing with a leak from an upstairs flat
We also specialist in Commercial Leak Detection work and disaster restoration, helping businesses find water leaks at their property and with water leak insurance claims, we are very aware of business interruption insurance too and can help you get your business back to normal efficiently and effectively.
Does insurance cover water damage?
Clearly, if your home insurance covers you for water damage will depend on the details of your policy. However, given that water damage are one of the most common types of insurance claim in the UK, most policies will cover you for water damage to your property. If in doubt, check your policy details or speak to your insurer. If you have water damage, we can help work with your insurance company for you.
Who is liable for a water leak?
This will vary but, in general water leaks outside the boundary of your property, such as mains water leaks will be the responsibility of your local water company. Similarly, if the leak is on your land or within your property then you are most likely liable for it (although clearly you may have insurance to cover you for it also) or, if you rent as a tenant, then the property owner or landlord is likely liable.