How would I claim on my home insurance?

Question

I've got a bit of a problem with my shower at the moment - there is wooden panelling around the base of the shower which is getting damp probably due to a leak from the base. I've called a plumber out to take an initial look, apparently there's a strong possibility I'll need to get a completely new cubicle and tray installed, new tiling done & also to get the floorboards underneath treated. The plumber told me I may be able to claim some of this through my home insurance.
This is my first home & I've never had a big problem like this before - how do I go about seeing whether my insurance would pay out? And are there implications for my future monthly premium?
Thanks

Answer 1

You need to call your agent, as others have suggested.

BUT be VERY clear that you only want to discuss the issue up front. DO NOT turn in a claim until you've had a discussion, because, once a claim is turned in, you'll have it show up on your property loss history for the next five years, even if nothing is paid out.

While the insurance company won't be able to charge you claims points if nothing is paid out (and I'll get to that in a second), they can still use it as a basis to cancel your policy if you reported a second claim in the next three years. And at that point, high-risk (and high-premium) insurance is the only option you would have.

So, as I was saying, you need to talk to your agent about the situation. Be as detailed as possible before you decide whether or not to turn in the claim. In all liklihood, this claim would NOT be paid by your home insurance, though. Because homeowners policies aren't designed to be maintenance contracts; as a general rule, the covered claims are those that are sudden and accidental occurances. If the leak has been an ongoing problem underneath the shower and you've never addressed it, you'll be hard-pressed to get a claim paid out by the insurance company.

If, on the other hand, the damage happened suddenly, from a broken pipe, for instance, you would probably have coverage. (I say probably because different types of policies have different exclusions. For instance, most policies cover ONLY named perils, while some cover any peril that isn't specifically excluded.)

At any rate, you won't really know how to proceed until you talk to your agent. Just be sure that you do NOT call and say you want to turn in a claim -- that may come later, but you need to discuss the details first.

Best of luck!

Answer 2

Best way to see if your insurance would pay out is to read your policy. You can also call your broker/agent and ask them. Although I can guarantee that this claim will not be covered. While the damage was caused by water, how the water escaped is the key question. If the water escape was due to a leak over a period of time, then this is a maintenance issue and would not be covered. If a tree branch fell through your roof and broke a pipe, that would be an accidental loss and would be covered. Read your policy and see specifically what perils are covered with respect to water escape. All insurers are finicky about this particular peril and will be very specific in their policy wordings.

Answer 3

I wouldn't do it. You should use home insurance only for the most extreme cases, like a fire or a tree falling through your roof. One or two claims and you might find your company dropping you as a bad risk, and then it's hard to get new coverage at a decent rate. It's sad, but true. I think that sort of behavior by insurance companies should be illegal.

Answer 4

You should call them. They are usually pretty helpful.

You will have to pay the excess (normally about 100 pounds) and it may have an effect on future premiums.

Home insurance works like car insurance, you get a discount for every year you don't claim.

Answer 5

Phone your insurance company and explain the problem to them. They may send someone out to assess any damage and take it from there Depends on your policy whether you can make a claim and not affect future premiums

Answer 6

Talk to your home insurance agent. The only way that your insurance will cover that is if you have a specific kind of insurance that covers home improvements (I can't remember the name right now). At any rate your insurance agent should be able to tell you if they can cover that or not.

Answer 7

Call them up and ask.
I would however refrain from using the work "leak". Leak and leaking are maintenance issues. Insurance doesn't pay for lack of maintenance.

Answer 8

Another one who doesn't know how their insurance policy works ...
Why dont' you just pick up the phone and phone them and tell them what's happened and see what would be covered?
Dont' you think that's the best way forward?

Answer 9

just call your insurance company they will be able to tell yo if yo are covered

Answer 10

You're most likely not covered unless you have home sheild.