Can Homeowner's Insurance Cover Damage from Frozen Pipes?

Can Homeowner's Insurance Covers Damage from Frozen Pipes?

Throughout the winter, homes are vulnerable to the possibility of bursted pipes. Pipe bursts typically occur when the water inside the pipe freezes and expands, building the pipe's pressure until it finally ruptures. As much as a few hundred gallons of water can spill into your home within a few hours, leading to extensive damage and mold growth. During the winter, frozen pipes are among the most common causes of significant property damage.

Many homeowners may immediately wonder if my homeowner's insurance covers the damage? In general, the homeowner's insurance covers water damage caused by a blown pipe and also damage to the pipe or plumbing equipment. Insurance adjustters may misapply other portions of your insurance policy and claim you have to pay to fix the pipe out of your pocket. Get a lawyer! Other provisions may also apply, depending on your coverage, when it comes to covering damage from a burst pipe, such as possible negligence. This guide will help you to cover water damage from frozen pipes through the insurance claims process.

Homeowner Insurance and Frozen Pipes

It is beneficial for homeowners to have a thorough understanding of their homeowner's insurance coverage before they ever deal with a disaster. By doing so, you'll have a much better idea of what to expect from your insurance company if you experience a sudden catastrophe like a blown pipe. In most frozen pipe cases, your insurance provider will cover the damage caused by the water leaked out of the pipe. Depending on the exact terms of your policy, you can expect:

Frozen Pipes

• The cost of removing and replacing the wall to get to the blown pipe.
• Repair of any damage to your carpeting, flooring, drywall and furniture.
• Restoration of water damage and mold prevention

What to Do After a Frozen Pipe

If you experience a frozen pipe in your home, you must take the right steps to ensure that your insurance provider accepts your claim. Make sure you take these actions immediately after the pipe has burst:

Stop the damage: In a short period, a lot of water can leak from the burst pipe, which can cause severe damage. You must react immediately to stop the spread of water and limit the damage. Start by shutting off the water in the emergency shut-off valve. Once the flow of water has stopped, call a professional to restore water damage. If you do not take action to stop the damage, your insurance company may use this as a reason to deny your claim.

Document damage: As with any other type of insurance claim, it helps to fully document the damage caused by the collapse of the pipe. Take pictures of damaged items, including the wall, the floor, and the pipe itself. A thorough documentation of the damage will allow you to easily resolve any questions you may have about your claim.

Contact insurance company: After you have taken steps to slow down the spread of the damage and document its effects, it is time to call your insurance provider. When talking to an insurance agent, it is very important to refer to the damage as "water damage." It would help if you never used the word "water" because insurance companies treat the flood differently. Ensure that your insurance company covers renovation cost, including repair or replacement of flooring, drywall, carpeting, furniture, and other personal belongings that have been damaged. If you have to leave your home for repairs to be completed temporarily, your insurance company may reimburse your living expenses.

Get an experienced insurance attorney: Unfortunately, home insurance companies are in the business of making money and not paying valid insurance claims. Our case studies show that 85% of water pipe claims are underpaid by at least $10,000. Also, understand that an insurance company would rather spend your premiums on slick television commercials instead of paying what it owes you.

What's not covered by insurance?

Don't make assumptions. Although some cases involving burst pipes will be covered by insurance, there are several reasons that your insurance provider may try to deny coverage. It is important to know that the insurance company may try to tell you that the cost of repairing the blown pipe is not be covered. The insurance company may say that it is considered general maintenance of the home and is the homeowner's responsibility. The home insurance company has the burden to prove that the busted pipe is not covered. Don't let the insurance company get a free ride in denying your perfectly valid claim.

The following are the main reasons which an insurance company may cite for refusing to cover the damage caused by a busted pipe.

Flood damage: As mentioned above, you must never use the word "flood" to describe the damage to your home. If your insurance company considers the damage to be a flood, it may deny coverage. In the case of home floods, only flood insurance policies must be purchased separately from the normal homeowner's insurance policy.

Negligence: Negligence is the most frequently cited reason for refusing to cover the damage caused by the frozen pipe. If you have not taken any precautionary measures to prevent frozen pipes in your home, an insurance company may be subject to negligence. Your claim may also be denied based on normal wear and tear if the pipe that burst has been damaged or corrupted to begin with. It is your responsibility as a homeowner to take preventive measures against frozen pipes and to repair or replace parts of the plumbing system where necessary. It helps document the preventive action you are taking to prove it if you need to file an insurance claim.

Preventing the Frozen Pipe

You can take the following measures to help prevent frozen pipes and ensure that you are covered when the pipe freezes and bursts despite your efforts:

• Keep the sockets in your home slightly turned on when the temperature drops below freezing so that there's a slow trickle. This will help keep the water moving inside the pipes and prevent it from freezing.
• No less than 65 degrees to set the heating in your home.
• Keep the cabinet doors under the kitchen, and the bathroom sinks open so that the house's heating can reach the pipes below.
• Take the garden hoses inside and cover the outside of the faucets in the winter.
• Know where the main water shut-off valve is located.
• Install pipe insulation or heating tape on pipes in areas with little insulation, such as attics, ramps, and exterior walls.
• Keep windows and open-air windows closed.
• Keep your basement warm.
• If you're going to be away for a longer period during the winter, shut down the water in your home.

Pipe bursts can occur suddenly in the winter due to frozen pipes and can cause significant, widespread damage in a short time. Luckily, your homeowner's insurance is likely to cover the resulting water damage as long as you take the right precautions to avoid negligence.

When dealing with the damage, it is important to contact a reliable water damage insurance attorney who can deal with a blown pipe's consequences. Home insurance attorneys have the right tools to recover the damage entirely, and they will also work with your insurance company on the claim.

YOU CAN OBTAIN A HIGHLY SKILLED INSURANCE LAWYER

If your insurance company has refused to honor your policy despite having a valid claim, you can recover damages based on "bad faith." At Dick Law Firm, PLLC, we are committed to fighting for the total compensation you deserve. When you retain our services, we fight to protect your rights as a policyholder.

Hiring a highly-skilled property insurance attorney will help by:

• Significantly increases the value of your claim
• Learning all of the ins and outs of your policy
• Helping you navigate the claims process and negotiations
• Validating the cause and extent of the damage
• Informing you if a claim denial is valid
• Notifying you of all relevant insurance laws

If you have been mistreated or wronged by your insurance company, you can count on us to do everything possible to rectify the situation. We aim to resolve a claim as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Please speak with our team at 833-7RIGHTS today! Consultations are FREE.