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.

A pipe that suddenly bursts - often in a cold snap when water freezes and expands - is exactly the kind of sudden, accidental event home insurance is designed for. Buildings insurance typically covers repairing damage to the structure, such as soaked ceilings, floors and walls, while contents insurance covers ruined belongings. Many policies also cover the cost of drying out your home and replacing damaged decoration.

A useful feature to look for is 'trace and access'. This covers the cost of finding a hidden leak and getting to it - for example lifting floorboards or removing part of a wall - and then making good afterwards. Without it, the cost of locating a concealed burst pipe can fall on you, so it is worth checking whether your policy includes it and up to what limit.

There is an important distinction between a burst pipe in your home and a burst water main in the street. Pipes inside your property boundary are generally your responsibility and your insurer's concern. The mains supply in the public highway belongs to your water company - if that bursts and floods your home, you may need to raise it with the water company, though your own insurer can still help with the damage to your property.

One common trap is frozen pipes while a home is empty. Many policies expect you to take reasonable care - keeping the heating on low in winter, or draining the system if the property is left unoccupied for an extended period. If a pipe bursts because these conditions were not met, an insurer may reduce or decline the claim, so check the 'unoccupied property' conditions in your wording.

If a burst pipe has caused significant damage and you want to make sure the claim reflects the full cost of putting things right, our burst pipe claim guidance walks through what to document and expect.

What a burst pipe claim usually pays for

A burst pipe claim is broader than the plumbing repair, and the plumbing repair is often the smallest part of it.

Drying the property out, including professional dehumidifiers and the electricity they consume, which can run for several weeks.
Stripping out and replacing soaked plaster, flooring, skirting, ceilings and fitted units.
Redecorating the affected areas so they match what was there before.
Replacing damaged contents, from carpets and furniture to electricals.
Trace and access: the cost of finding and reaching the leak, then making good afterwards.
Alternative accommodation, if the damage makes the property uninhabitable while work is done.

Which pipes are yours, and which are the water company's

The supply into a home changes ownership at the boundary. The communication pipe, running from the water main in the street to the boundary stop tap, belongs to the water company. The supply pipe, running from that stop tap into the property, is normally the homeowner's responsibility, including the length of it buried under the garden.

That matters because a leak on your side of the boundary is your problem to fix, even though it sits underground outside the house. Some water companies operate repair schemes for customer supply pipes, and some home policies include underground services cover, so it is worth checking both before paying for excavation yourself.

Frozen pipes and the unoccupied property condition

Winter claims turn on a condition most people never read. Policies typically set a limit on how long a home can stand empty before cover changes, commonly somewhere between 30 and 60 days, and they attach conditions for the colder months.

Those conditions usually ask you either to keep the heating running continuously at a minimum temperature, often around 12 to 15 degrees, or to drain the water system down. If a pipe freezes and bursts in a property left empty beyond the stated period, and neither step was taken, an insurer may reduce or refuse the claim.

If you are leaving a property empty over winter, the specific figures in your own wording are the ones that count, and telling your insurer in advance is usually straightforward.

What to do in the first hour

The order of these matters, and the first one is the one people forget the location of until they need it.

Turn the water off at the internal stop tap, usually under the kitchen sink or near where the supply enters the property. If you cannot find it or it will not turn, the boundary stop tap outside will isolate the whole supply. Switch off electricity at the consumer unit if water is anywhere near wiring, sockets or light fittings.

Then photograph and film everything before you move or clean anything. That footage is the one piece of evidence that cannot be recreated once the room is cleared. Only after that, start lifting belongings clear of the water and call your insurer, which will have a 24 hour emergency line. Most policies also expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, so mitigation is not just sensible, it is a condition of cover.