Does Home Insurance Cover Plumbing? What You Need to Know About Your Policy

Whether you’ve got a toilet that won’t stop running, a sudden pipe burst, or a flooded basement, you’ll want to take care of the issue as soon as possible. However, such plumbing issues can be expensive to repair. So does home insurance cover plumbing so you don’t have to eat that cost?

The short answer: It depends. While homeowners insurance does cover plumbing problems in some specific scenarios, there are also instances when you won’t be able to get help through insurance. Below, we’ll cover when insurance does and doesn’t help with plumbing emergencies, how to prevent plumbing issues, and why a home warranty may also be a good idea.

When Does Home Insurance Cover Plumbing Problems and Leaks?

Homeowners insurance covers plumbing leaks in certain circumstances—namely, when the issues are sudden and unexpected. This may be from a frozen pipe burst or a sudden appliance malfunction. In certain circumstances, pipes that have been leaking for a longer time but are hidden behind walls may also be covered.

The key here is that the leak can’t be due to negligence, whether you ignored a problem or misused an appliance.

In addition to unexpected leaks, homeowners insurance also typically covers water damage remediation. If your floors, walls, furniture, or electronic equipment are damaged during a leak—or you need to bring in a local mold remediation specialist—homeowners insurance should cover the damage. Again, the water damage has to occur from a covered peril, not negligence.

Coverage for water damage is crucial. The cost of water damage restoration can range from $1,350 to $6,225. In most cases, this will cost more than the plumbing repair work necessary to repair the leaking pipe—though if you have to call in an emergency plumber to resolve the issue, expect to pay more for plumbing as well. Emergency plumbers cost up to three times as much as typical plumbing costs.

When Does Homeowners Insurance Not Cover Plumbing Issues?

Homeowners insurance coverage does not extend to plumbing problems in several scenarios:

• General wear and tear: General wear and tear (like normal degradation on aging pipes) is not covered by home insurance, though the resulting water damage might be.

• Negligence: Leaks or flooding caused by negligence are not covered. For instance, if you ignore signs of a leaky pipe or mold growth for a long time, don’t expect homeowners insurance to foot the bill when this leads to inevitable issues. Similarly, if you leave your home for a long vacation and turn the heat off, despite it being winter, you may have trouble getting coverage for frozen pipes.

• Floods: Floods are not covered by homeowners insurance; you’ll need a separate flood insurance policy if you live in an area prone to flooding.

• Sewer line backups: Homeowners insurance doesn’t usually cover sewer line backups or clogged pipes, since these are caused by issues beyond the home, such as tree roots or problems with the city line. Some insurers allow you to purchase an add-on to your policy for this coverage.

In the instances above—when homeowners insurance does not cover plumbing—you’ll be on the hook for the full bill when you hire a local plumber.

How Does Home Insurance Cover Plumbing?

In general, plumbing issues may be covered by five different parts of a homeowners insurance policy:

1. Dwelling coverage: This portion of your policy protects your home’s actual structure, meaning plumbing problems threatening that structure would be covered.

2. Loss of use coverage: If the plumbing issue is so severe that you need to stay somewhere else during repairs and water damage restoration, insurance will cover food and lodging.

3. Personal property coverage: If your belongings are water-damaged during your leak, you can expect reimbursement for those items, as spelled out in your policy.

4. Other structures coverage: Your policy may also cover an additional structure, such as a detached garage or guest house. Water damage coverage applies to those structures as well.

5. Personal liability coverage: Finally, if your home’s plumbing issues cause damage to your neighbor’s property, insurance can help with the cost.

How to Prevent Plumbing Issues

Photo: Monkey Business / Adobe Stock

While even the most diligent maintenance routine will eventually give way to plumbing issues, we do have a number of preventative plumbing maintenance tips that can help you avoid frequent issues, including:

• Regularly inspecting pipes, appliances, and fixtures for leaks on your own

• Getting an annual pipe inspection by a professional

• Winterizing your pipes, which can include insulating pipes, if you live in a colder climate

• Keeping your drains clear to prevent clogs

• Being smart about what you put in the garbage disposal

• Avoiding use of flushable wipes, even those labeled as septic safe

• Addressing small leaks before they become bigger issues

• Purchasing a leak detector

Should I Get a Home Warranty As Well?

Because home insurance doesn’t cover regular wear and tear on plumbing systems, you’ll have to reach deep into your wallet to pay for repairs as your pipes age or fixtures such as toilets age out of use. This may mean the occasional expensive investment to keep your home running smoothly.

An alternative? A home warranty. Home warranties are an affordable way to get coverage for general wear and tear on home appliances and home systems, including plumbing. In this way, home warranties and homeowners insurance can work in tandem to provide more comprehensive coverage for your home.

Ultimately, you’ll likely spend more on a home warranty plan than you would on repairs as they pop up, but home warranties allow you to budget for a low monthly premium, rather than pay for a major, expensive repair unexpectedly when things break down.

If you think a home warranty would be a nice complement to your homeowners insurance, start your search by looking for home warranty companies near you.