There’s no denying that a home is an enormous investment, especially for young Canadians. You have to spend years working tirelessly and saving diligently before you can afford your first home. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why homeowners do anything it takes to protect their investments.
One of the most common things that people do to financially protect themselves and their properties is invest in high-quality homeowners insurance. Although many people understand the basics of home insurance, most homeowners have questions about their home insurance policies.
As an insurance brokerage, we receive countless questions from curious policyholders. One of the most common questions we receive is, “does homeowners insurance cover water damage from leaking plumbing systems?”.
Water damage is a tricky subject — in many cases, water damage can be covered, but it often comes down to the context of the event.
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Does plumbing insurance cover plumbing issues in Canada? — An in-depth guide for policyholders
If your plumbing system is leaking, you’re probably hoping that your home insurance policy covers the damages.
But will it?
As mentioned earlier, whether you’ll receive coverage or not will be influenced by the context of the plumbing damage.
Was the issue sudden and unexpected? Or was the damage caused by negligence on your part?
Does homeowners insurance cover water damage from leaking plumbing systems if the damage is sudden or unexpected?
Generally, yes, if your plumbing issue was caused by something sudden and unexpected, then your home insurance company can cover the cost of the necessary repairs or replacements.
Here’s an example:
A professional plumber made a mistake while installing a new sink in your laundry room, which led to a severe leak. The following day, you wake up and find water all over the laundry room floor, which results in tens of thousands of dollars in damages to your home and belongings. Are you covered?
In this scenario, your home insurance company can cover all or some of the repairs or replacement expenses (depending on the type or level of coverage that you have).
But what if the damage was caused by negligence on your part?
Does homeowners insurance cover plumbing repairs if the event was caused by negligence?
For the most part, no, your home insurance company will not cover any of your plumbing-related expenses if the plumbing damage was the result of negligence on your part.
As a policyholder, you’re expected to do everything in your power to ensure the safety and quality of your home. So, if you choose not to do something about a noticeable plumbing issue, your home insurance company has the ground to deny your claim.
Here’s an example:
You notice that your washing machine is starting to leak out of the bottom, but you choose not to do anything about the problem. A few weeks later, you spot a large water stain on your basement ceiling (caused by the leak). After contacting a professional plumber, you learn that the leak has caused several thousands of dollars worth of damage to your finished basement. Are you covered?
In this case, no, your home insurance company will most likely not cover the repair or replacement expenses related to the plumbing leak. This is due to the fact that you were aware of the leak but chose not to address it in a timely, responsible manner. In turn, you’ll have to cover the repair and replacement expenses out of pocket.
So, to answer the question, “does homeowners insurance cover water damage from a leaking plumbing system?”, the answer is… It depends. If the event was unavoidable, your home insurance can cover your expenses. But, if you were negligent, your home insurance will likely not cover your expenses.
Does homeowners insurance cover water damage from leaking plumbing caused by frozen pipes?
Once again, the answer to this question depends on the context of the event. If the frozen pipe damage was caused by something unforeseeable or unavoidable, then your home insurance company can cover your losses. But, if the damage is the result of negligence, then you will most likely not qualify for coverage.
Here are some examples:
Covered: Your furnace suddenly stops working while you are away for a weekend, and the water in the basement pipes freeze and burst. Sudden and accidental? Yes. Covered? Yes!
Not-covered: You turn your furnace off in the winter to save energy while you go away for a weekend, and the basement pipes freeze and burst. Sudden? Yes. Accidental? No. The burst pipes were caused by negligence on your part by not leaving the heating system on in winter, causing the burst pipes. Negligence is not covered.
Bonus tip — Check out our blog on preventing freezing pipes!
Does homeowners insurance cover plumbing damage related to broken sewer pipes?
Sewer backup insurance does not automatically cover broken sewer pipes. Pipes are only covered if the customer has purchased sewer line coverage (sometimes called service line coverage). Some carriers build this into their sewer backup and flood coverage packages, but it's not covered under just the sewer backup coverage.
Sewer line back-ups are a relatively common problem throughout Canada, so it doesn’t hurt to speak to your Surex insurance advisor about your options.
Does homeowners insurance cover overland flood damage?
In most cases, no, standard home insurance policies do not automatically include coverage for overland flood damages.
That being said, you can financially protect yourself from overland floods by investing in overland flood coverage. If you live in an area that is prone to heavy, sudden downpours, your overland flood coverage can cover the cost of water damage caused by the flood.
*Please note that coverage and limits vary from company to company. Speak with your Surex insurance advisor to learn more about the basics of overland flood coverage in Canada.*
Save up to 25% when you bundle with a Surex insurance advisor
Buying a home is expensive enough as it is; so why overpay for homeowners insurance? If your wallet feels too light after covering your insurance costs, you should speak with your Surex insurance advisor as soon as you can.
Our advisors work with some of the best home insurance companies in Canada, allowing them to help you find the cheapest home insurance quotes in your area.
Want to learn more about how you can save on home insurance when you shop with Surex? Contact your advisor today! You can start comparing quotes in ten minutes or less!
Don’t forget to ask your advisor about your bundling options. Bundling is a fantastic way to reduce your insurance premiums (in some cases, you can save as much as 25%).
