Escape of Water
Escape of Water damage to the insured property is generally covered provided it is from a fixed domestic appliance or pipe.
Trace and Access Cover
Your Buildings Insurance policies may also provide cover for tracing and accessing leaks if the source is hidden and where any physical part of the building needs to be removed to access the leak. Insurance policies also provide cover for making good the damage caused by trace and access investigations.
Example: A flat owner has noticed water staining to the corner of their bathroom and suspect water damage is originating from the flat above. In order to mitigate the loss, the owner of the flat above who has been informed has called a plumber who can find no visible leaks from the flat above. The plumber has suggested that the damage may be originating from the communal soil stack which runs through each flat behind tiled boxing.
In such cases, the buildings insurance policy would provide cover for the reasonable costs incurred in sourcing the leak and for making good the damage caused. This is because parts of the building will need to be removed to source the leak as the leak is not visible.
However it is worth noting that should the source turn out not to be from a fixed domestic appliance or pipe Trace & Access i.e. via the roof, Trace and Access costs would not be considered.
Typical costs/claims that we exclude when we handle escape of water claims:
- The cost of replacing / repairing damaged pipes / equipment due to wear and tear old age poor installation/workmanship
- Damage which is considered to be caused by condensation/poor ventilation
- Failure to compile with the policy conditions
- Wet or Dry Rot
- Water damage as a result of a leak which has been gradually operating over a period of time and where no effort has been made by the property owner to mitigate the damage quickly.
- Claims for damage where no photographs have been taken and where repairs have been instructed prior to authorization of the claim.
Whilst most escape of water claims are straightforward, we sometimes experience delays in obtaining all of the necessary information that we need to validate these types of claim. Below we have detailed the typical questions that we ask;
- What caused the leak & where it came from
- What date was the leak noticed and when was it repaired
- What damage occurred? Which room/s have been affected
- Has this happened before?
- Is alternative accommodation required?
- Has Insured acted to prevent further loss/damage?
- When was the property last maintained? Recent work carried out / recent installation?
- Was the property occupied at the time of the incident?
- Are photographs available of the damage?
In order to avoid delays at claims stage, we would recommend the following actions be taken once an escape of water has been noticed.
- Notify Deacon as soon as possible to register a claim. If the claim is substantial, we will appoint a Loss Adjuster on the same day.
- Get a qualified plumber in to source and fix the leak as quickly as possible
- Always take photographs of the damage that has sustained to your property. These help us validate your claim.
- Obtain two comparable detailed estimates or quotes for the damage if the costs are likely to exceed £1000. If the estimated repair cost is under £1000, one estimate will normally be sufficient.
Alternative Accommodation
Cover for the reasonable cost of alternative accommodation is normally provided in the event of a residential property becoming uninhabitable during the course of an insurance claim.
“Uninhabitable‟ means unfit to be lived in and each case is usually considered on its own merits. The loss of any of the following facilities should be taken into account when deciding if a property is uninhabitable:
- Lack of usable sanitation systems
- Absence of hot/cold water
- Lack of cooking facilities
- Major structural damage or a risk to the health or safety of the occupant
To help guide you through the process, we have developed a specific online claim form for Water Damage claims. You can go straight to our online claim notification page by clicking here.
Escape of Water
Escape of Water damage to the insured property is generally covered provided it is from a fixed domestic appliance or pipe.
Trace and Access Cover
Your Buildings Insurance policies may also provide cover for tracing and accessing leaks if the source is hidden and where any physical part of the building needs to be removed to access the leak. Insurance policies also provide cover for making good the damage caused by trace and access investigations.
Example: A flat owner has noticed water staining to the corner of their bathroom and suspect water damage is originating from the flat above. In order to mitigate the loss, the owner of the flat above who has been informed has called a plumber who can find no visible leaks from the flat above. The plumber has suggested that the damage may be originating from the communal soil stack which runs through each flat behind tiled boxing.
In such cases, the buildings insurance policy would provide cover for the reasonable costs incurred in sourcing the leak and for making good the damage caused. This is because parts of the building will need to be removed to source the leak as the leak is not visible.
However it is worth noting that should the source turn out not to be from a fixed domestic appliance or pipe Trace & Access i.e. via the roof, Trace and Access costs would not be considered.
Typical costs/claims that we exclude when we handle escape of water claims:
- The cost of replacing / repairing damaged pipes / equipment due to wear and tear old age poor installation/workmanship
- Damage which is considered to be caused by condensation/poor ventilation
- Failure to compile with the policy conditions
- Wet or Dry Rot
- Water damage as a result of a leak which has been gradually operating over a period of time and where no effort has been made by the property owner to mitigate the damage quickly.
- Claims for damage where no photographs have been taken and where repairs have been instructed prior to authorization of the claim.
Whilst most escape of water claims are straightforward, we sometimes experience delays in obtaining all of the necessary information that we need to validate these types of claim. Below we have detailed the typical questions that we ask;
- What caused the leak & where it came from
- What date was the leak noticed and when was it repaired
- What damage occurred? Which room/s have been affected
- Has this happened before?
- Is alternative accommodation required?
- Has Insured acted to prevent further loss/damage?
- When was the property last maintained? Recent work carried out / recent installation?
- Was the property occupied at the time of the incident?
- Are photographs available of the damage?
In order to avoid delays at claims stage, we would recommend the following actions be taken once an escape of water has been noticed.
- Notify Deacon as soon as possible to register a claim. If the claim is substantial, we will appoint a Loss Adjuster on the same day.
- Get a qualified plumber in to source and fix the leak as quickly as possible
- Always take photographs of the damage that has sustained to your property. These help us validate your claim.
- Obtain two comparable detailed estimates or quotes for the damage if the costs are likely to exceed £1000. If the estimated repair cost is under £1000, one estimate will normally be sufficient.
Alternative Accommodation
Cover for the reasonable cost of alternative accommodation is normally provided in the event of a residential property becoming uninhabitable during the course of an insurance claim.
“Uninhabitable‟ means unfit to be lived in and each case is usually considered on its own merits. The loss of any of the following facilities should be taken into account when deciding if a property is uninhabitable:
- Lack of usable sanitation systems
- Absence of hot/cold water
- Lack of cooking facilities
- Major structural damage or a risk to the health or safety of the occupant
To help guide you through the process, we have developed a specific online claim form for Water Damage claims. You can go straight to our online claim notification page by clicking here.