What Does The Home Insurance Water Damage Guarantee Cover?

The water damage guarantee is offered in all home insurance contracts. It covers damage to your home and to your property caused by the following situations: water leaks breaks or overflows in conduits or pipes, gutters, taps, bathtubs, washing machines or even dishwashers.

Damage caused by infiltration through roofs, terraces, sealing joints and through tiles. Laminate flooring or the perimeter of sanitary facilities are also covered.

If you are a tenant of unfurnished accommodation or a co-owner. It is your home liability insurance that covers the damage suffered by your neighbours. Or a third party in the event of water damage for which you are responsible. Conversely, you will be compensated for damage to your property if it is due to a third party. Your insurer will then take action against the insurer of the person responsible for the loss.

As a homeowner, taking out home insurance is not compulsory. Water damage suffered in the absence of cover must therefore be reimbursed by the person responsible. Whether it is damage to neighbours or his own movable and immovable property.

What are the exclusions of home water damage insurance?

The water damage guarantee does not cover repair or work on the element causing the damage (except for extended guarantees in high-end formulas). Damage resulting from a lack of maintenance or repair (if the problem were known) is also excluded from all contracts. Some insurers do not cover so-called repetitive damage either, resulting from the same cause as a previous claim and for which you have not carried out the necessary repair.

Water damage due to fogging and condensation is only compensated if it results from a leak, rupture, overflow or infiltration covered by the warranty. If it is an excess of humidity for lack of ventilation, for example, you will not be covered. Other damages are not always covered, such as sewer backup, aquarium breakage or overflow, and water ingress through doors, windows, chimneys or air ducts.

In recent contracts, the cost of finding water leaks is still covered, although the cost of the warranty is very uncertain.

Insurers cover damage related to underground pipes located inside the insured building. But not those related to pipes buried outside, which can only be reached by opening the ground. Finally, the cost of overconsumption of water due to a leak is covered in certain contracts and the guarantee generally applies within the limit of your average consumption for 6 months and on the presentation of your water bills.

How to benefit from the compensation of the water damage home insurance?

To receive the compensation provided in the event of water damage in your home, you must report the loss to your insurer within 5 working days of its discovery, by registered letter with return receipt. Any delay in reporting may result in the reduction or even the elimination of indemnities if the insurer proves that the delay caused him financial damage.

If possible, a claim must include the following information:

photographs of the incident;
proof of purchase to certify the value of lost property;
testimonials from neighbours or other third parties.

The amicable report of water damage serves as a claim. It must be carried out even in the absence of third party victims and serves as the first estimate of the losses suffered. Your insurer will then appoint a home claims adjuster responsible for objectively estimating the damage caused. In the event of disagreement with its report, you can request a second opinion, or even a third expert opinion if the disagreement persists.