What's covered
What Home Insurance Covers for Water Damage
Whether your water damage is covered usually comes down to one thing: was it sudden and accidental, or slow and avoidable? These answers explain the difference and where most claims turn.
Can you claim for water damage on home insurance?
Yes, most UK home insurance policies cover water damage that is sudden and accidental - such as a pipe that bursts without warning or a tank that suddenly overflows. Damage that builds up slowly over time, through a long-term leak, poor maintenance or general wear and tear, is usually excluded. The cause of the damage matters more than the damage itself.
Read the full answer →Who is responsible for water leak damage, and who pays?
Responsibility usually depends on where the leak started and whose property it damaged. If a leak in your home damages your own property, your buildings and contents insurance normally covers the repairs, subject to your excess. If a leak from a neighbour's property damages yours - or yours damages theirs - the claim may go through the property owner's insurer, and negligence can affect who ultimately pays.
Read the full answer →Does home insurance cover a burst pipe or burst water main?
Yes, most UK home insurance policies cover damage from a burst pipe, because it is a sudden and accidental event - this falls under the 'escape of water' section of your buildings and contents cover. Cover usually includes the damage the water causes and 'trace and access' - finding and reaching the leak. A burst main in the public road, however, is the water company's responsibility, not your insurer's.
Read the full answer →Can you claim for a leaking roof on house insurance?
It depends on why the roof is leaking. If a storm or a sudden accident damages your roof and lets water in, buildings insurance will usually cover it. But if the roof has simply worn out, aged or been poorly maintained over the years, the leak is treated as wear and tear and is normally excluded. The cause, not the leak itself, decides the claim.
Read the full answer →Can you claim for flood damage?
Yes, if you have flood cover, most UK home insurance policies cover damage from flooding - water entering your home from outside, such as an overflowing river, surface water or a burst main in the street. Flood is a separate part of your policy from an internal leak, and homes at high flood risk may be insured through the Flood Re scheme. Always check flood is included, as some policies exclude or limit it.
Read the full answer →Does home insurance cover damp problems?
Usually not. Damp is normally treated as a maintenance issue that develops gradually, so home insurance typically excludes it - rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation are rarely covered. The exception is when damp results directly from a sudden, insured event, such as a burst pipe, in which case the water damage from that event may be covered.
Read the full answer →Does home insurance cover wear and tear?
No. Home insurance does not cover wear and tear - the gradual ageing, deterioration or failure of parts of your home over time. Insurance is designed for sudden, accidental and unforeseen events, not for maintenance and upkeep, which remain the homeowner's responsibility. This exclusion is one of the most common reasons water damage claims are reduced or refused.
Read the full answer →What is 'sudden escape of water'?
'Escape of water' is the insurance term for water leaking or overflowing from a pipe, tank, appliance or fixed water system inside your home - for example a burst pipe or an overflowing washing machine. When it happens suddenly and accidentally, it is one of the most common covered claims. Water building up slowly over time is treated differently and is often excluded.
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Other topics
Making a Water Damage Insurance Claim
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