Does home insurance cover plumbing?

When you buy a homeowners insurance policy, you expect it to cover certain catastrophic events — including burst pipes. But what about other plumbing problems?

Home insurance doesn’t usually cover plumbing issues that result from needed maintenance and repairs. Instead, homeowners insurance covers plumbing issues that stem from accidents or some other unexpected and rapidly developing event.

When does homeowners insurance not cover plumbing damage?

First, it’s important to understand the difference between sudden damage and the need to stay current on maintenance and repairs.

If your kitchen sink has a small leak in one of the pipes, you’re expected to either repair the leak yourself or hire a professional. Your homeowners insurance policy probably won’t cover the cost of the repair.

If you don’t repair the leak, water damage might occur over a few weeks or months. However, even in this situation, your home insurance might not cover it because the damage was caused by a slow leak that you, as the homeowner, were responsible for repairing — but didn’t.

Additionally, if the plumbing problem is in an obvious area that’s known to you and you don’t take care of it, the damage won’t be covered. Depending on the situation, the insurance company might send someone to assess the damage. If they determine that you could have prevented the damage with maintenance and repairs, the insurer is unlikely to cover the resulting damage.

Take pipes freezing and bursting. If you are gone for several weeks, and you didn’t shut off the water supply and keep your home warmed to a protective level for the pipes, the insurer might not cover the damage from the bursting pipes.

Some other plumbing situations that homeowners insurance might not cover:

• ‌Sewer line backup.
• Damage from clogged pipes and overflowing toilets.
• Sump pump overflow.
• Certain kinds of steel pipes, such as galvanized and polybutylene.

If you want coverage in some of these instances, you might have to buy additional insurance riders for your plan, such as water backup coverage and service line coverage.

How does home insurance cover plumbing damage?

In general, if you want your home insurance to cover plumbing damage it has to come from a sudden accident. For example, maybe you took proper steps to protect your pipes from freezing, but unseasonably bitter weather causes the pipes to burst anyway. The damage to your home’s structure — and even your belongings — might be covered.

Additionally, if there is a leak you wouldn’t have known about, perhaps from a pipe hidden in a wall, and it’s caused slow damage, it might be covered. The circumstances of the damage are taken into account when the insurer decides whether it will pay a plumbing-related claim.

Here are some other types of coverage — usually included with regular homeowners insurance — that may protect you in the event of an unexpected catastrophe leading to plumbing-related damage:

• Dwelling coverage: The actual structure of your home is covered by most policies. If your water heater malfunctions and damages your floors and walls, you can file a claim to have that damage repaired. However, you might need to use your own funds to replace the problematic water heater.
• Personal property: If a covered incident damages your belongings, you might be able to receive coverage to replace them. For example, if a burst pipe ruins your big-screen TV and your living room furniture, you may be able to receive coverage to replace those items.
• Other structures: Depending on the policy, other structures on your property — such as a detached garage or a small guest house — might be covered. For example, if a burst pipe ruins the sheetrock in your garage, your policy might cover the repairs.
• Loss of use: If an unexpected plumbing accident makes your home unlivable during the repairs, you may receive a settlement with funds to cover meals and a hotel or short-term rental.

Before your insurance company agrees to pay out a settlement for any claim, they will likely want to assess the circumstances of the damage and consider whether you could have prevented the issue with regular maintenance and repairs.

How to file a plumbing insurance claim

When filing a plumbing insurance claim, it’s important to follow proper procedures. Find out from your insurer how to file a claim. You can often file online or through a web application. You might also be able to file a claim by speaking with a local agent in person or on the phone.

Before you begin filling out any paperwork — digitally or with the help of an agent — make sure you’ve documented the damage. Take pictures and understand the circumstances that led to the issue: If you can show that the plumbing incident was the result of an accident or some other unexpected cause, it’s more likely your claim will be approved.

You can also increase the chances of being covered for a plumbing insurance claim if you take the following steps when you discover leak-related damage:

• Shut off the flow of water to the damaged pipe.
• Take pictures of the leak, crack or damage to the pipe.
• Consider shutting off the electricity, especially if the water is approaching wires or if the water has damaged some of your electrical systems.
• Take steps to contain the damage, such as using towels and buckets, and turn on fans to dry things out.
• If possible, move items out of the way to prevent further damage.

Demonstrating that you’ve tried to mitigate the damage increases the likelihood your claim will be approved.

How to avoid plumbing problems

The best way to avoid plumbing problems and any ensuing damage is to engage in regular inspection, maintenance and repairs.

The following actions can help with this:

• Winterize your plumbing so that pipes are less likely to freeze.
• Pay attention to hazardous trees and roots, and trim them back to keep away from pipes and sewer lines.
• Replace older plumbing.
• Pay attention to appliances, especially water heaters and water softeners, and replace them as they age.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Does homeowners insurance cover clogged pipes?

In general, homeowners insurance won’t cover clogged pipes. Instead, you’re usually responsible for the cost of having the clog removed before it causes damage to the pipes and your home.

Does homeowners insurance cover plumbing leaks?

It depends on the nature of the leak and the damage. If the damage is the result of a leak that could have been repaired early on to prevent damage, homeowners insurance is unlikely to cover the damage. On the other hand, if the leak is the result of some accident that cracked the pipe, or it was in an area not generally visible or accessible, you might be able to get covered.