You expect your homeowner’s insurance to provide you with a significant amount of protection. Yet, there are often gaps in coverage, and insurance companies will do as much wiggling as they can to try to avoid paying out claims. This week, we want to look at some of the main reasons why water pipe damage claims are denied so that you know how to fight back against your insurance company.
Top reasons why water pipe damage claims are denied
When you base your homeowner’s claim on a burst water pipe, the insurance company is going to scrutinize your claim. Here are some justifications that they’ll look for to deny your claim:
- Lack of maintenance led to the pipe’s bursting or leaking. From the insurance company’s perspective, if you maintain and repair pipes as needed, then you significantly reduce the risk of flooding.
- The damage was caused by sewage backup. Many insurance claims don’t cover this type of damage.
- The damage was caused over time by a leaking pipe that went unrepaired. Again, the insurance company expects that you’ll catch these leaks and repair them in a timely fashion.
- The flooding in your home was the result of sump pump failure. Since sump pumps are often additions to your home, most policies won’t cover them unless you specifically request it and pay for it.
- The damage was the result of a water line bursting, which typically falls outside of standard coverage.
There may be other reasons why a burst pipe claim is denied, but it’s really going to depend on the terms of your policy. So, before proceeding with an insurance claim, make sure you understand those terms and how they apply to your set of circumstances.
Are you being cheated by your insurance company?
Insurance companies are known for improperly delaying and denying claims that should be approved. If your claim is in that situation now, then you might need to take legal action to protect your interests. But don’t delay, as these are time sensitive matters, and you deserve to be compensated for the harm caused to you as quickly as possible.