According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), insurers pay out around £1.8 million every day* to clients who have made ‘escape of water’ claims on their home insurance. Another possibly surprising statistic is that nearly one in five claims made on high-value buildings and contents insurance are related to water leak claims. With this being such a large contributor to household claims, we cover some of the ways in which you can reduce your exposure to escape of water, below.
What is Escape of water?
‘Escape of Water’ is a term used by insurers to cover everything from a burst pipe, faulty boiler or appliance, or connection malfunction – generally, any plumbing issue that leads to water escaping.
How can you prevent Escape of Water?
- Keep pipes flowing – a common cause of escape of water is burst pipes; this usually happens when the pipes freeze, causing them to crack or burst with the build-up of pressure. It’s advisable to set your heating so that there is a period of time each day (e.g. a minimum of an hour) where the temperature is at least 12-15 degrees. This becomes particularly important if you are away from home as the plumbing isn’t being used and you would unlikely be aware of an issue until your return.
We recommend checking your specific policy wording as some may require a certain temperature to be maintained in the home or for the mains water to be turned off if the property is unoccupied for a prolonged period of time.
- Keep pipes warm – it’s also important to ensure that any pipes and water tanks in the loft, cellars or outside of your home are adequately insulated. This, again, is to reduce the chances of them freezing and cracking. Although, it is important to note that you shouldn’t insulate underneath a water tank in the roof space, as this could prevent the tank from being warmed adequately from heat in the home.
- Maintenance and upgrades – whilst appliances suffer from wear and tear with age, so do their connectors, which can lead to leaks. Just as it’s important to maintain and upgrade appliances when necessary, it’s also prudent to do the same with connectors and stopcocks. You may even consider electronic stopcocks which are less likely to stick.
Whilst appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers may be obvious to check, things like toilets, sinks and showers should also be inspected, along with their connections to water mains and drainage pipes.
- Check and upgrade seals – seals surrounding showers, baths and sinks can become weaker over time and cause slow leaks. These small leaks can cause much larger issues down the line, causing out of sight damage such as damp or even subsidence. Ensure seals (even the ones around plug holes) are maintained and doing their job to avoid a potentially costly claim later on.
- Identify leaks early – there are a number of devices now on the market, and are often available through your insurer at little or no cost, that can help detect leaks and prevent damage. LeakBot is one example; this monitors for escape of water by detecting unusually high levels of moisture or excessive flow of water, compared to your usual usage. When the device identifies a potential issue, it notifies you via an app – you can then decide whether to investigate it or ignore it on the basis that you may be doing something consciously to cause the notification, e.g. watering your lawn. Some devices can even be set up to shut down your water supply altogether, a feature which is particularly useful when your home is unoccupied. Speak to your insurance broker or provider to see if such a device is something you can take advantage of through your policy.
Accidents happen, then what?
In the event of a leak or suspected leak, you should immediately turn off your water supply via the stopcock – this will help to prevent the escape of more water and any subsequent damage. Your next steps will be very much dependent on the cause of the leak.
If your pipes are frozen:
- Turn off the heating and turn on all the taps to help drain the system of remaining water
- Try to thaw the pipes out, using things like a hot water bottle or hair dryer to heat them up slowly
- Before turning the water system back on, make sure that a professional repair has been completed
If a connector, tap or appliance is causing the issue, you may be able to obtain and replace the necessary parts yourself, but it is vital to ensure the fix is good as even the smallest gap can cause a leak.
If an issue with your heating system has caused the problem, it is advisable to call out a professional, registered engineer to take a look at the system and resolve it.
You should also contact your insurance broker or provider at the earliest opportunity (after you have taken immediate action to prevent further escape of water and damage). They will be able to provide you with guidance on next steps such as drying and repair, as well as information on how to make a claim, should you need to.
If you have any questions around escape of water cover, or your home insurance in general, please contact our private client team on 01653 697055 or by emailing affinity@mcclarroninsurnace.com.
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