Plumbing issues can cause significant damage, and in addition to the repair, you might find yourself having to clean up a major mess. While your homeowners insurance helps cover many unexpected costs of homeownership, your policy will probably cover certain plumbing-related issues, but not others.
There’s no one simple answer to whether your homeowners insurance covers plumbing repairs, but generally speaking, your insurance will cover sudden, unexpected plumbing issues. Let’s take a look at a few different situations and whether your insurance will pay for the repairs and damage.
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Your washing machine, which has been working fine, suddenly leaks water all over your floor. In this case, since the leak was sudden and accidental, your insurance would probably cover the damage caused to your home, but not the repair to the appliance. This also applies to damage caused by other appliances, like water heaters, dishwashers, and refrigerators.
While insurance will cover sudden water leak damage caused by many appliances, most policies won’t cover sump pump failures. Sump pumps fall under water backup coverage, and you can often buy an add-on or rider if you want this type of coverage.
If sub-freezing temperatures cause a pipe to freeze and burst, you could be facing ruined flooring and drywall. As long as you weren’t negligent in allowing the pipe to freeze, most homeowners insurance policies will pay for the damage caused to your home. You’ll be responsible for the cost of repairing or replacing the pipe.
If a plumbing clog damages your home, your insurance may cover the cost of repairing the water damage. However, your insurance won’t pay for the cost of removing the clog, even if it’s caused water damage. The same is true if you know that your plumbing system is developing a clog; insurance considers that regular maintenance, so you’ll need to pay the plumbing bill for removing the clog.
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If a pipe bursts and causes slab or foundation damage, your insurance may pay for the cost of removing and replacing the slab. However, if the foundation damage is caused by a flood, your insurance won’t cover the damage unless you have a specific flood insurance policy.
Paige Cerulli Paige Cerulli is a freelance content writer and journalist who specializes in personal finance topics. She graduated from Westfield State University and brings more than a decade of professional writing experience to the ConsumerCoverage team. Paige’s work has appeared in outlets including USA Today, Business Insider, and more.
