Even a small water leak can lead to an expensive mess! Whether it’s under the sink, behind the washer or under a concrete slab, the damages from a water leak can quickly escalate. Ignoring it not only makes the situation worse, many insurance companies won’t help out with the repair bill.
“What’s really important to know for leaks is when did the insured notice it and take action,” says Christine G. Barlow, a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and associate editor of National Underwriter and FC&S Online, which interprets insurance policies for the industry.
When it comes to plumbing leaks and water damage, insurance claims can be confusing to both home and business owners. A recent study showed most household water damage are caused by appliance or plumbing failure, bursting pipes, and pluming failure. They accounted for 62 percent of water damage, appliance failure, such as a dishwasher leak accounted for 30 percent and flood claims accounted for 8 percent.
Finding a water leak before it causes extensive damages can be frustrating. According to an ACE Insurance Underwriters study showed water damage caused $9.1 billion dollars in property loss over a three year period. Most homeowners are not quite sure what their insurance policy covers when it comes to water leaks and damage.
“If the insured had a leak in the roof and had a pot under it for six months, then that damage is not covered,” Barlow says. “Professionals are pretty good at seeing whether a wet spot has been there for a while. Sometimes they have engineers go out to look.”
Today’s houses and buildings have more bathrooms, bigger kitchens, upstairs washing machines and hot water heaters. Which means there are more water pipes running throughout the home.
Investigating the source of the water leak, longevity, mold and severity of the damage resulting from the leak, it’s vital to the insurance claim. A slow pinhole leak, leaky toilet and even a slow drip behind the wall from the ice maker, may be considered the property owner’s responsibility due to lack of maintenance. A significant amount of mold can indicate the leak was ongoing and show lack of maintenance of the homeowner.
The Leak Doctor strives for quality performance with electronically generated reports, clearly written with all the details, available within 24 hours. Photographs taken before and after for documentation and communication with the adjuster while on the job site about the findings.
