Hi, it has become apparent that we definitely have a slab leak(S) that needs to be repaired. As leak detection group identified cold water leak but we have since found two areas in home with hot spots on tile so also hot water leak, we need to repipe both. How do we approach homeowners insurance company to see if anything will be covered? Actually, we only found out from our policy that it doesn't cover leak repair but does it cover anything? Please share any experiences and advice about this if you know anything about it. Thanks in advance!

Homeowners insurance generally does not cover damage due to normal wear and tear or aging of the structure. If you can show that the damage was caused by a covered cause of loss (not wear and tear) such as fire, lightning, wind, hail, theft, etc then there may be some coverage.

If you recently had a contractor working on your slab and he either did his work incorrectly (causing the leaks) or in the course of working on something else he damaged your slab (causing the leaks) your homeowners insurance may pay for repairs and seek compensation from the contractor's insurance.

However based on your post, I gather this is more likely to be a case of normal wear and tear and aging, improper maintenance, or improper manufacturing or installation at the time the house was built, in which case there would not be any coverage.

More information on anything that might have caused these leaks would be helpful if you want a more specific answer. Good luck.

You really need to be dealing with your insurance company on this matter. They will have the answers to any questions you may have.

My experience has been that they treat ALL slab water leaks as "spontaneous" failures, NOT "wear and tear, so they usually cover all costs, such as the leak locator and digging the hole, but NOT actually repairing the pipe. However some companies, such as Allstate, want the water to be flowing across your floor and out the door before they will act.

Find out if you indeed have coverage for these leaks, I suspect you do but you need to verfiy what is and is not covered. I would be unhappy if they wanted to only fix a compromised copper system because it could happen the day after they cover it up and walk out the door. I would try to negotiate with them to get as high a settlement as possible and then ask for that amount and in doing so you would sign a release of liability for the original water system. Get 3 bids to replace your current water system from reliable contractors that have insurance, bonding etc. Choose the one that you want and get the system replaced. You need to learn about copper vs PEX and decide which one to use. Do your due diligence in selecting this contractor. Check for License, reputation, complaints from BBB, and if there are any issues with the City. The City will probably decline to give much do to liability issues, but check every way you can....its part of being a homeowner. All the best.

Most likely as hj said you may be covered for any sudden and spontaneously leak, the entire cost except for actual pipe repair would be covered.

Look through your policy and the fine print before you talk to them.

In my case the insurance company sent an adjuster to my house, they looked at the issue and estimated the cost to replace the entire room of wood floor, cutting open concrete floor, excavation, backfill, affected drywall, baseboards etc...all covered except the actual pipe repair.

In another case where I had a sewer line clog with was the result of a busted fitting underground, I had to tunnel under the house for 25' to fix it and the entire cost of repair was about 20K, that was not covered because it's not "spontaneous and sudden".

My experience has been that they treat ALL slab water leaks as "spontaneous" failures, NOT "wear and tear, so they usually cover all costs, such as the leak locator and digging the hole, but NOT actually repairing the pipe. However some companies, such as Allstate, want the water to be flowing across your floor and out the door before they will act.

That depends. If water was flowing across my floor, then I would begin to consider that to be flood. Down here we have to buy homeowners insurance, windstorm insurance and flood insurance.

So I had an expensive Persian carpet that got wet from a hurricane, if it's caused by rising water then it's flood, but if it's caused by driving rain through a broken window then it's windstorm.

as per FEMA it is NOT a flood unless a LARGE area is under water

no way no how would FEMA consider a plumbing rupture in a private dwelling to be a flood

I 'think' that 2 square miles is the determining factor, either direct or impacted.

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

The insurance company must understand that your problem is important enough for them to intervene.



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Most insurance companies are cautious about insuring property and finishings against water damage in apartments located under the roof and try to exclude roof leaks from the list of risks. Events that occur as a result of are not considered insured events: Rainfall through the roof, joints of panel buildings, loggias, balconies, terraces, unclosed windows, doors, etc., and through joints, slots, and openings made deliberately or resulting from dilapidation or construction faults into the insured objects, building, or apartment where the insured property is located. You will have to cover a physical disaster out of your own pocket in many cases.



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