Water leaks and home insurance: what to do before and after you claim

A burst pipe or a leaking appliance can soak a ceiling, a floor and everything on it in minutes. Afterwards comes a second job: dealing with the insurer. This guide is practical, not legal. Every policy is different, and your own policy wording decides what is covered. We are not solicitors, insurers or brokers, and there are no product links on this page.

First: stop the water and make it safe

Nothing else matters until the water is off.

1. Close the main stopcock. If you do not know where it is, our find a leak and the stopcock guide explains where to look.
2. Keep away from electrics that are wet. If water has reached sockets, light fittings or the consumer unit, switch the electricity off at the main switch only if you can reach it from a dry place. Otherwise keep clear and call an electrician.
3. Watch for sagging ceilings. A bulging ceiling can hold a lot of water and can come down. Keep people out from under it.
4. Drain the system if a pipe has burst and water is still coming out: turn on cold taps on the lowest floor once the stopcock is off.
5. Turn off the water heating if hot water pipes or a cylinder are involved, following the boiler or cylinder maker's user instructions.

If the leak came from frozen pipes, see frozen pipes for safe thawing and what to check before turning the water back on.

If the water is from a sewer or drain rather than a clean pipe, treat it as contaminated. CCW's sewer flooding page puts safety first, then contacting the water company and your insurer.

Record the damage

Before you tidy up, if it is safe to do so:

• Photograph and film the source of the leak, the damage to ceilings, walls, floors and belongings, and any water still visible.
• Note the time you found the leak and what you did.
• Keep damaged items until the insurer says you can get rid of them, unless they are a health risk. If you must throw something away, photograph it first.
• Keep the failed part if a plumber replaces it: a split pipe, a burst hose, a cracked fitting. It may help show what happened.

Tell your insurer promptly

Most policies expect you to report a claim as soon as you reasonably can. Ring the claims line or use the insurer's online process, and ask:

• what they need from you, and by when;
• whether you can arrange an emergency repair yourself, and what evidence they need for it;
• whether they will send a loss adjuster or a drying company;
• whether your policy has trace and access cover for finding a hidden leak.

If you rent, tell your landlord or managing agent as well. Your contents policy, if you have one, is separate from the landlord's buildings policy. If the water came from a neighbour's flat, tell them and the building's managing agent too.

Make reasonable repairs, and keep the paperwork

You are usually expected to stop further damage. That can mean an emergency plumber to fix the leak, even before the insurer has visited. Our hiring a plumber guide covers what to ask.

• Keep invoices and receipts for emergency repairs, drying equipment and any extra costs.
• Ask the plumber to write down what failed and why on the invoice, in plain terms.
• Do not start permanent redecorating or replacing floors until the insurer agrees, unless they tell you to go ahead.

Sudden leak or gradual damage?

This is where many water claims get difficult.

Home insurance policies usually list insured events. An "escape of water", such as a sudden burst pipe, is commonly one of them. Policies also have exclusions. The Financial Ombudsman Service's page on gradual damage explains that exclusions often include damage that has happened gradually, and that it is unlikely to tell an insurer to pay for damage caused by wear and tear.

The same page says that where damage did happen gradually, the ombudsman might still tell an insurer to pay if the damage was caused by an insured event such as an escape of water, you could not reasonably have been aware of it (for example, because it was hidden behind a kitchen unit or bath panel), and you claimed or took reasonable action as soon as you could have known. Each case is decided on its own facts.

In practice that means:

• a pipe that bursts in a freeze is very different, in an insurer's eyes, from a shower seal that has let water into the floor for a year;
• acting quickly when you notice signs of a leak helps you, and so does a record of when you noticed;
• the evidence of what failed matters.

Accidental damage cover is usually an optional extra, and buildings and contents cover can respond differently. The Financial Ombudsman's home and buildings insurance page explains the difference between buildings and contents in more detail.

If you disagree with the insurer

Start with the insurer's own complaints process, in writing. The Financial Ombudsman says you should make a formal complaint to the company first, and that if it does not send a final response within eight weeks, or you are unhappy with it, you can bring the complaint to the ombudsman. Its service is free to use.

Prevention

Small habits make leaks less likely and claims easier:

• know where your stopcock is and check it turns;
• lag pipes in lofts and outbuildings before winter;
• look under sinks and around appliances now and then;
• fix drips and weeping joints when you notice them, not months later.

Should I call the insurer before a plumber?

Stop the water first. If you need an emergency repair to prevent more damage, many insurers expect you to get one. Call the insurer as soon as you can, and keep the invoice and the failed part.

Will my insurance pay to find a hidden leak?

Some policies include trace and access cover, which pays towards finding the leak and making good. Not all do. Check your policy or ask the insurer.

Is a slow leak covered?

Often not, because many policies exclude gradual damage and wear and tear. But each case depends on the policy wording and the facts. The Financial Ombudsman's gradual damage page explains how it looks at these complaints.