Are Plumbing Issues Covered by Your Insurance?

Homeowner’s insurance is designed to cover damage to your home, but there are limits, terms and conditions. Plumbing is normally covered, but only if the damage is caused by an accident and you report it as soon as possible.

Water Damage

The problem with damaged plumbing is that it is not limited to plumbing alone. Because plumbing is responsible for carrying water and sewage, it can affect different parts of your home, particularly if the damage goes undetected for a long time.

Your homeowner’s insurance policy is likely to cover water damage caused by faulty plumbing, but there are conditions that should be met, and it might not cover all types of water damage.

When Insurance Pays

Here’s an example of a scenario in which your insurance provider is likely to reimburse you for the damage: You come home and notice the floor is damp. You investigate and find out a network of pipes have burst while you were away. Now, your basement is flooded. 

Your insurer is probably going to reimburse you for the cost of the new pipes, valves, tanks, etc., as well as for the damage to your walls, floors and other items. Your insurance might also cover mold remediation if the leak also caused it.

Notice that the plumbing problem here was caused suddenly.

When Insurance Might Not Pay

However, if your insurance adjuster investigates and finds that your plumbing is old and rusty, and could have been replaced to prevent this type of problem, your insurer is not likely to send you a check. The same is true if the water damage was not caused by the sudden bursting of a pipe, but by gradual leaking, a sump pump that’s backed up and other signs that you have simply neglected the maintenance of your plumbing.

Plumbing, like any other component of your home, needs inspections and maintenance to prevent these types of problems. For more information and for help with your plumbing system, get in touch with Handyman Connection® of Grapevine today. Call us at (817) 527-3600, or request your estimate here.