Homeowners Insurance
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Bathroom Plumbing Leaks?
Are bathroom leaks covered in homeowners insurance?
Every homeowner understands the potential fallout that can result from a bathroom plumbing leak. Depending on its severity, a leak can result in thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. Luckily, you have homeowners insurance, so you’re completely covered. Or are you?
The truth is that a bathroom leak insurance claim isn’t always cut and dry (pardon the slight pun). Today, we’re going to briefly discuss the topic of gradual water damage and then dive into scenarios where you may or may not be covered for water damage that occurs in your bathroom whether it’s from pipes, your toilet, or outside areas.
Understanding Gradual Water Damage
As you probably suspect, gradual water damage refers to a situation where the damage isn’t caused by something abrupt or sudden. In many cases, this type of damage won’t be covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy. For example, if you have a leaky pipe and you neglect to get it fixed and then several months later, the pipe bursts, the resulting water damage – both primary and ancillary – most likely won’t be covered.
Here is a quick reference list of situations that are likely to be considered gradual:
- Plumbing leaks over time
- Roof elements in need of repair
- Mold, rot, or rust
- Old/damaged wires
- Poor repairs
- Lack of repairs
Bathroom Water Damage That May Be Covered
Since water flows throughout your home’s pipes for one reason or another throughout the day, there are several types of water damage that may occur at any time. Couple that with the often-turbulent weather that much of Florida experiences every year and you may find yourself filing an insurance claim.
Here are the main scenarios where a bathroom leak insurance claim would likely be approved:
- Broken/Burst Pipes — Sudden and accidental situations resulting from a broken pipe or burst pipe will almost always be covered.
- Tree Damage to Roof — Damage resulting from a tree crashing through a wall or window may be covered, but you’d need to discuss this with your agent.
- Mold Damage Issues — In most scenarios, mold damage isn’t covered – but in the rare instance that it results from a covered loss, you’ll be good.
Bathroom Water Damage That May NOT Be Covered
Whether or not a bathroom leak insurance claim would be approved is determined by the specifics of your homeowners insurance policy. However, there are some general scenarios where you’re much more likely to be denied because the damage simply isn’t covered.
Here are a few situations where your policy will most likely not cover water damage in your bathroom:
- Sewage Backup — If your toilet springs a sudden leak, then you could very well be covered for any resulting damage. But in the event that the sewage system gets backed up, you’d need to have a separate policy for that.
- Mold Damage — It’s very common for mold damage to occur following a water leak in your bathroom. Most homeowners insurance policies, however, don’t provide mold damage protection as standard.
Preventing a Bathroom Leak Insurance Claim Denial
As a homeowner, it’s important that you understand whether a bathroom leak Insurance claim will be approved or denied so that you don’t run into a situation where you think you’re financially covered, but you’re not. The good news is that it isn’t difficult to determine coverage, nor is it difficult to prevent water damage in the first place. Follow these simple tips and your chances of being caught off-guard by water damage caused by a bathroom leak will be severely reduced:
- Understand the Policy — Reach out to your insurance company/agent, go over the specifics of your policy, and purchase separate insurance as needed.
- Maintain Repair Records — In the event that a previous repair is what caused water damage in your bathroom, you’ll want to have those records available.
- Regular Maintenance — Leaks caused by wear and tear typically aren’t covered, so be sure to get your plumbing checked out at least once per year.
- Purchase Extra Insurance — To ensure that you’re fully covered for flooding, mold, and other issues, you should consider purchasing the required policies.
Contact Coleman Insurance Agency
Coleman Insurance Agency provides comprehensive homeowners insurance in Clearwater that will help ensure proper coverage for all of life’s unforeseen events. We also offer all other types of insurance, such as auto, life, commercial, and more. If you need to file a bathroom leak Insurance claim or have any questions, reach out by calling (727) 441-9911 today to schedule a free consultation.
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