Water damage claims · St. Louis
Water damage claims: burst pipes, slow leaks, sewer backup and flood
Most homeowner policies cover sudden water damage, like a burst pipe, but exclude flood and often exclude slow leaks and sewer backup unless you bought extra coverage. Where the water came from and how fast it came usually decides the claim. Stop the water, document it, and keep the broken part.
Where the water came from decides most claims
Water claims turn on the source. Here is how most homeowner policies sort them. Your policy’s exact words control.
HOW POLICIES OFTEN TREAT WATER
- Often covered: a pipe that suddenly bursts, a water heater that suddenly fails, an appliance hose that splits.
- Often excluded: a slow leak over weeks or months, and the rot or mold it causes.
- Often excluded unless you added coverage: water backing up through a sewer or drain, or a sump pump that fails.
- Usually excluded: flood and surface water from outside. That needs a separate flood policy.
Sudden or slow: the most common fight
The insurer may say the leak went on for a long time. You may say it burst all at once. The damage itself can help tell the story.
- Keep the failed pipe, fitting, hose or valve. A plumber can often tell how it broke.
- Get a written note from the plumber who made the repair.
- Photograph the water line on walls and the spread of the water.
- Note when you first saw water and what you did right away.
Many policies cover the water damage from a sudden break, but not the cost to fix the pipe itself. Read both parts of the policy.
Flood insurance is separate
Homeowner policies usually exclude flood. Flood coverage comes from a separate policy, often written through the federal flood insurance program. That program has its own rules and forms.
If rising water from outside and a burst pipe both hit your home, the causes may need to be sorted out room by room. Write down what you saw, and when.
Mold and drying out
Water left in walls and floors can grow mold in days. Many policies limit mold coverage or exclude it. Most policies also expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent more damage.
So act quickly. Shut off the water. Call a water removal company. Keep the drying logs and moisture readings they take. Keep all receipts. These records show you acted, and they show the scope of the damage.
When someone else caused the leak
Sometimes the water came from someone else’s mistake. A plumber may have left a fitting loose. A neighbor’s unit may have leaked into yours. A landlord may have ignored a known problem.
Your own policy may still pay you first. Your insurer may then try to collect from the person at fault. That is called subrogation. You may also have your own claim against that person for losses your policy did not cover, such as your deductible.
Keep the names of every contractor who worked on the plumbing. Keep their invoices. If a neighbor or landlord is involved, write down when you told them about the leak and what they said.
What to do after water damage
- Shut off the water at the main valve.
- Photograph and video the water and the damage before cleanup.
- Keep the broken part and a sample of wet flooring or drywall if you can.
- Report the claim and write down the claim number.
- Get your full policy, including the declarations page and any water backup endorsement.
- Log every call and keep every letter.
- Get your own contractor’s estimate before agreeing to the insurer’s scope.
If the claim is denied as a slow leak or excluded water, Harjot Singh Padda, JD can read the policy wording with you. See also denied insurance claims.
Common questions
Is a burst pipe covered by homeowners insurance?
Often, yes, if the break was sudden. The pipe itself may not be. See the property insurance claims overview.
Is sewer backup covered?
Only if your policy includes it, often through an added endorsement. Check your declarations page. See denied insurance claims.
My insurer says it was a slow leak. How do I prove it was sudden?
Keep the broken part and get a plumber’s written opinion. See underpaid insurance claims for scope disputes.
A leak in the unit above damaged my condo. Who pays?
It may involve your policy, the neighbor’s and the association’s. See real estate litigation.
A leak from my landlord’s pipes ruined my things. What now?
Your renters policy may cover your belongings. See landlord-tenant disputes.
Related reading
- Property insurance claims overview
- Denied insurance claims
- Insurance appraisal clause
- Landlord-tenant disputes
Sources
- 20 CSR 100-1.050 (15 working days to accept or deny after all forms are in; written denial citing the policy provision; 45-day status letters; 30-day investigation standard; auto estimates and itemized depreciation). Missouri Secretary of State, Code of State Regulations