Water main and supply pipe leak insurance claim

The public water main in the street is the water company's responsibility, while the supply pipe from the boundary into your home is usually yours. Whoever owns the pipe, your home insurance can often still pay for the damage the water causes inside your property.

Three different pipes, three different owners

Water main leaks confuse people because "the water main" can mean three separate things, and each one has a different owner. Sorting out which pipe leaked is the single most useful thing you can do, because it decides who fixes the pipe and who pays for the mess.

The public water main is the large pipe running under the street. It belongs to your water company. The supply pipe is the private underground pipe that carries water from the boundary of your property, usually near the outside stopcock (the valve that shuts off your water), into your home. That one is usually yours. Then there is the internal plumbing, the pipes inside the house, which is clearly your responsibility and behaves like any other household leak.

If the public water main bursts

When the mains pipe in the street bursts and floods toward your home, the burst itself is the water company's problem to repair. Report it to them quickly, note the date and time, and keep any reference number they give you. If large volumes of water have entered your property, you may also have a claim against the water company, so keep a record of what happened.

Separately from the mains repair, your own home insurance can often help with the damage inside. Flooding from an external source can be handled differently from an internal leak, so tell your insurer exactly where the water came from and let them tell you how they treat it. For a wider look at what is and is not covered, see does home insurance cover water damage.

If your supply pipe leaks

A leak on the supply pipe, that private stretch from the boundary into your home, is usually the homeowner's responsibility to find, repair and pay for. The good news is that you often do not have to face this alone. Many water companies run a free or low-cost repair scheme for a first supply-pipe leak, and some sell optional supply-pipe insurance for a small amount on your bill. Check with your water company before you pay a private contractor, because you may already be covered.

These underground leaks are sneaky. You may notice a damp patch in the garden, a drop in water pressure, or the sound of running water when every tap is off. Because the pipe is buried, simply finding it can be the expensive part, which is where trace and access cover matters.

What home insurance actually pays for

Here is the distinction that catches people out. Home insurance generally pays for the damage the water causes, ruined floors, soaked walls, damaged belongings, rather than the cost of repairing the pipe. This is most clear-cut with internal plumbing: when a pipe inside your home suddenly leaks, that is escape of water (the insurance term for water escaping from a fixed installation like a pipe or tank), and the resulting damage is usually covered.

For the external supply pipe, insurers are even less likely to pay for the pipe repair itself, which is why the water company schemes above are worth using. Two policy features can still make a real difference:

• Trace and access can pay to locate and reach an underground or under-floor leak, and to reinstate what had to be lifted or dug up, if your policy includes it.
• Escape of water cover handles the damage once water has got into your home, whatever the original source.

If your leak turned out to be inside the house rather than under the garden, our guides on the burst pipe insurance claim and the wider escape of water claim walk through those situations in detail.

Do not forget the leak allowance on your bill

A supply-pipe leak wastes water you never used, and you should not have to pay for it. Once the leak is found and fixed, water companies often grant a rebate, sometimes called a leak allowance, to adjust the extra volume off your bill. This is separate from any insurance claim. Ask your supplier how to apply and what proof of repair they need, because a higher-than-usual bill after a hidden leak can add up.

Steps to take now

• Work out which pipe leaked: the street main, your supply pipe, or internal plumbing.
• Turn off the water at the stopcock if the leak is on your side.
• Photograph and video the damage before you clean up or move anything.
• Report a burst main to your water company; ask about repair schemes for a supply-pipe leak.
• Tell your home insurer where the water came from and ask how they will treat the damage.
• Once fixed, apply to your supplier for a leak allowance on your bill.

For the full claim process from first call to settlement, see how to claim for water damage, and browse the frequently asked questions if you have a specific worry.

Common questions