Which water damage is usually insured — and which is not?

With water damage, the insurer looks above all at the cause. Sudden, unexpected damage is usually covered; slow, gradual damage often is not. Please note: the exact answer is always in your own policy conditions.

Generally insured

• A sudden leak from pipes or connected appliances (washing machine, central heating).
• The breaking-open work needed to trace and reach a leak.
• Water damage from a heavy downpour that penetrates directly.
• A burst pipe, or a leaking aquarium or waterbed.

Generally not insured

• Damage from groundwater entering the home or cellar.
• Moisture slowly working its way in through walls or floors (penetrating or rising damp).
• Overdue maintenance, such as a blocked gutter or a worn sealant joint.
• A slowly seeping leak that went unnoticed for months.
• Water coming in through open windows or doors.

The grey area

Many disputes turn on the question of whether it was groundwater, or rather sewer water or rainwater after all, and whether the damage was ‘sudden’ enough. Some all-risk policies cover more (for example groundwater that entered through drains). This is precisely where an independent assessment makes the difference.

Please note — The repair of the leak itself (the pipe, for example) is often not reimbursed, whereas the consequential damage to walls and floors is. Keep those two separate.