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Home insurance for water damage is usually split into three separate types of cover:
Flood cover is often an optional extra you may need to pay extra for – so if you live in a flood-prone area, be sure to check you're covered. Below is a table of some insurers that include water damage cover for all three services.
| Flood | Storms and rainwater | Escape of liquid | |
|---|---|---|---|
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To file a successful claim for water damage through your home insurance, follow these steps:
Contact your home insurance provider as soon as there is damage.
Give them as much information as possible. Document the value of all the items you can think of that have been damaged and take as many photos as possible.
If possible, make an effort to control the leak and dry out your home to prevent further damage.
Your insurer will probably send someone to take stock of the damage.
Obtain at least three independent estimates from qualified general contractors to work out how much the damage has cost.
If your claim is approved, your insurer will talk to you about making necessary repairs to your home as well as replacing damaged contents.
Water damage can include sudden or accidental damage as a result of water, most commonly from a burst pipe, water overflow, flood or storm.
Home insurance providers usually only cover you for sudden and accidental damage; that is, water damage that occurred quickly and unexpectedly. Gradual water damage, on the other hand, is usually not covered by most home insurance policies.
Common claims can include the following:
Yes, home insurance covers leaking pipes if the damage was caused by escaping water that occurred suddenly and without warning.
A burst pipe generally comes under "escape of liquid or water" and can cover you for a sudden and immediate leak (not something gradual that you were well aware of) as a result of the following:
If you don't know where the leak is coming from, some home insurance providers will pay the reasonable costs up to a certain price to locate the source of the problem.
Yes, standard home insurance policies generally cover storms. Storm cover can include damage caused by:
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