Tampa Water Leak Lawyers

Water Leak Insurance Claims

Has your insurance company denied your claim for damage caused by a leaking pipe? Has your insurance company told you there is only $10,000 coverage and you have to come up with the rest of the money to fix your home? If your home requires a re-pipe, this could be a very costly repair.

Before buying into everything the insurance company tells you, we encourage you to get a free claims review. Depending on the language in your insurance policy, you may have coverage that is not limited to $10,000. If you do, then the insurance company should pay to fix your home.

Our Tampa water leak lawyers help homeowners secure full compensation to repair water damage. We have decades of combined experience securing favorable compensation for policyholders. Our firm has the resources and legal knowledge to advocate for your best interests every step of the way.

When Does Insurance Cover a Pipe Leak?

As to whether or not your insurance policy will cover the damage due to a pipe leak depends on the language. Policies typically will cover a sudden and accidental loss. Policies however typically try to exclude losses that happen over time with the following language:

• Constant Or Repeated Seepage or Leakage of water or steam, or the presence or condensation of humidity, moisture or vapor; which occurs over a period of 14 or more days, whether hidden or not.

Your policy may also have the following language:

• (9)  Constant or repeated seepage or leakage of water or the presence or condensation of humidity, moisture or vapor, over a period of weeks, months or years; unless
• (a)  Such seepage or leakage of water or the presence or condensation of humidity, moisture or vapor and the resulting damage is unknown to all insureds, and
• (b) is hidden within the walls or ceilings or beneath the floors or above the ceilings of a structure.

It is important to read your policy language because not all policies are the same. Most policies won’t provide coverage in general if the leak has been happening for weeks, months or years.  However, if the leak was recently discovered and appears to be recent, you likely have coverage.

Also, if the leak is hidden and as soon as you notice it you call in a claim, it will likely be covered. An example of this would be if you had a leaking pipe behind a wall and you don’t notice that there is a leak until the water starts to stain the drywall or a puddle forms on the floor for no reason. This same coverage would likely be extended for leaks behind or under appliances, or above ceilings where you can’t see.

Some policies provide that the pipe damage itself may not be covered but the resulting damage caused by the leak may be covered.

Signs of Broken Pipes

There are several signs to determine if you have a pipe burst in your home. If you hear bubbling, whistling or banging and clanking when you use the sink or flush the toilet it could be an indication of a broken pipe. If the water from your pipes has an unpleasant smell, it could be an indication that the pipes are corroded. If you have bulging or discoloration of the drywall or ceiling, it could be an indication of a burst pipe. If you have wood or laminate flooring and the floor starts to turn black or buckle, this could also be an indication. Also if your water bill suddenly spikes but you have been using the same amount of water as usual, this could be a sign as well. Little or no water pressure when using the dishwasher, washing machine or running the faucet could also be a sign.

Many homes have pipes that run in the slab of the home. If you have a pipe leak that caused damage to the home, many times the cost to tear out and replace the slab around the pipe will be covered. It depends on the policy language as to whether or not the actual cost to replace the plumbing system will be covered.