Homeowners insurance is designed to protect you from losses that occur due to damage to your home. Because sudden plumbing problems are one of the most common causes of damage, it’s important to understand the relationship between plumbing and homeowners insurance. To help you get a clearer picture of the issues involved, we’ve put together these facts regarding homeowners insurance and plumbing.
Homeowners’ insurance coverage for plumbing issues varies – Many homeowners believe that if they have a current homeowner’s insurance policy, they’re protected in case of all types of plumbing emergencies. The truth is that not all policies provide coverage for all types of problems. Things like blocked drains and toilet malfunctions may not be covered by your policy, making it important for you to thoroughly read the explanation of your coverage.
Emergency policies are often available as supplements – If you find that you’re not fully protected with your basic homeowners insurance policy, you can look into emergency home coverage, which often expands the number of plumbing problems that can be paid for with a policy.
Prevention is the key – If you don’t want to invest in emergency coverage or if you’re unable to find a policy to suit for your needs, preventing plumbing problems will save you hundreds of dollars. Consider having your plumbing inspected annually to identify areas of possible concern. Often times, it is much less expensive to have an issue repaired before a problem occurs. To further protect yourself be sure to call a professional plumbing company like Sydney Emergency Plumbing at the very first sign of any plumbing problems, such as a slow drain or a leaky pipe. When we’re called for a problem, we always conduct a free, full plumbing inspection, which can discover other issues and protect you from emergency situations.
Report problems quickly – Many homeowners’ insurance policies have reporting requirements for emergencies. This means that you must contact the insurance company or your local representative within a certain amount of time for the policy to cover the problem. Most insurers have websites or toll-free numbers that allow you to report an accident at any time, so when problems strike, be sure to contact your insurance company immediately after calling a 24/7 emergency plumbing service.
