· Michael Blair
Water is the most commonly disputed category in homeowners insurance, because policies distinguish carefully between sudden failures and gradual ones. The distinction is decided on evidence.
What is usually covered
Sudden and accidental discharge — a burst supply line, a failed washing machine hose, a water heater letting go. That is the core of standard coverage.
Sewer backup is commonly an endorsement rather than standard, and surface flooding from outside requires separate flood coverage entirely.
What is usually excluded
Gradual leaks that could reasonably have been noticed. Damage from lack of maintenance. Damage in an unheated house in winter, which is a specific and commonly applied exclusion.
Mould is often capped at a low limit or excluded unless it results directly from a covered event and was mitigated promptly.
- Report promptly, the same day where possible
- Photograph and video before moving anything
- Keep damaged items until authorised to dispose
- Keep every receipt for mitigation work
- Mitigate immediately — failing to is itself a reason for denial
Mitigation is an obligation
Policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Waiting for an adjuster before starting drying is a common and costly error, because the additional damage from waiting may not be covered.
Document the condition thoroughly first, then start drying.
If it is denied
Ask for the denial in writing citing the specific policy language, then read that language against what actually happened. Denials sometimes rest on an assumption about duration that photographs can rebut.
For larger disputes, a public adjuster works for you rather than the insurer, typically for a percentage.