There are some parts of a house that you never want to see a break. Plumbing is one of those issues, and unfortunately, we all know that plumbing tends to have the most breakage out of any major home part category on the market. When you have busted plumbing, the waste that comes out can cause mold, bacterial infections, as well as permanent stains on your home's property. Getting it addressed is a must, but plumbing costs aren't always easy to work with. The longer you try to leave it be, the less likely it is that you will continue to have a small problem. Plumbing problems multiply fast, and can often cause collateral damage around the home if they're left untreated. This is why many people want to reach out to their insurers. But, does homeowners insurance cover plumbing, or are you all on your own?
When Your Homeowners Insurance Will Cover Plumbing Issues
For the most part, homeowners insurance offers a lot of coverage, but only when it comes to sudden accidents. Most policies will cover repairs if your pipes suddenly burst, if your neighbor's plumbing harmed your home, or if you had a sudden accident that caused a major plumbing failure in your house. The consensus is that you should expect your plumbing to be covered if it was a sudden failure that was not due to your negligence or active sabotage. So, things like plumbing breaks due to weather (with some exceptions) and defective parts are generally covered. If you have reason to believe that the damage you're seeing is due to a failure that had nothing to do with maintenance, you probably have a good reason to call your insurance company and file a claim. With that said, how much coverage you get exactly depends on your plan.
When Homeowners Insurance Plumbing Issues Happen
Getting money for repairs and replacements in the world of plumbing is usually easy, but sometimes, you might get denied. Most of the time, this has something to do with the overall structure of your plumbing. If your plumbing looks corroded, has clear signs of wear and tear, or features materials that are past their typical lifespan, you may not be able to get your plumbing problem covered. If you've been warned by a plumber to address certain issues but ignored them until your pipes burst, you probably aren't going to get help. On a similar note, insurers rarely ever cover damages that come as a result of damage caused by municipal purposes. However, there's still a chance you can get help from the insurer. If your accident was caused by municipal problems, file a claim. If it's denied, they may be open to referring you to an attorney for a lawsuit.
Protect Your Plumbing!
Insurers treat plumbing differently than most other types of home protection. They tend to have a lot more waivers and riders available for you to purchase. Each rider gives you extra protection for a specific situation that could arise. For example, you can get a flood insurance rider to make sure that any plumbing damage caused by a flood will be covered. Mold waivers, on the other hand, let you get damages covered as a result of mold growth that occurs due to an accident. Plumbing accidents are not something that you should take a gamble on. To make sure that you keep your home safe from the devastation of plumbing-related accidents, give your insurance agent a call and talk about the best coverage that you can get for your particular situation. Trust us, it can save your bank account.