Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Frozen Pipes?

In most cases, yes. Most homeowners policies cover water damage when a frozen pipe bursts suddenly. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners adds one big condition: you need to take reasonable steps to protect your pipes from freezing.

Here is what a policy usually pays for, what it can leave out, and how to prepare before the first freeze in Schaumburg.

Is a frozen pipe burst covered by homeowners insurance?

Homeowners policies cover damage from a “sudden and accidental” discharge from a plumbing system, per the NAIC. A pipe that freezes, splits and sprays water across your basement fits that description.

Washington state’s insurance regulator says it in plain words too. Its guide to leaks, water damage and mold says home insurance usually covers frozen pipes that burst, as long as you heat your home properly.

Covered usually means the water damage to your home and your belongings. You pay your deductible first, and the policy pays the rest of the covered repair.

When can a frozen pipe claim be denied?

Neglect is the big reason. The NAIC says policies generally require one of two things from you. You heat the home to a minimum temperature, or you shut off the water supply if the home is vacant.

If your insurance company decides you neglected your plumbing, the damage from a burst pipe may not be covered. For example, a family might turn the heat off in an empty house for the winter. If the pipes freeze and burst, the insurance company can call that neglect.

Does insurance pay to fix the pipe itself?

That depends on your policy wording. The NAIC describes coverage for the water damage that results from a burst.

The cost to repair or replace the broken pipe can be a separate question. Read the water damage section of your policy, or bring it to us and we will go through it with you.

What about slow leaks and mold?

Most homeowners policies do not cover gradual leaks, even if you had no way of knowing they started, per the Washington guide. A leaky pipe behind a wall or under the floor is the example it gives.

Insurers generally treat damage that builds up over more than a couple of days as a maintenance problem. They do not see it as a sudden accident.

Many policies offer limited mold coverage, and only when the mold comes from a covered loss, like a pipe that suddenly bursts. Report a burst to your insurance company quickly, since the Washington guide says coverage usually depends on that.

Is a burst pipe the same as a flood?

No. A burst pipe is water that escapes from your own plumbing.

Flood damage is a different kind of loss. FloodSmart, the federal flood insurance site, says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. It also says only flood insurance covers the cost to rebuild after a flood, so you buy it as a separate policy.

What if you own a condo or rent?

Condo owners have two policies in the picture. The condo association has a master policy, and your own unit policy covers what the master policy does not. Our page on condo insurance explains what a unit owner policy can include.

Renters have a different setup. Your landlord’s policy is for the building, so your couch, clothes and laptop need their own coverage. A renters insurance policy can cover water damage to your things, though it does not cover flooding.

How can you protect your pipes from freezing?

These steps come from the American Red Cross guide to frozen pipes:

• Remove, drain and store your garden hoses.
• Close the inside valve that feeds each outdoor faucet, then open the outdoor faucet so leftover water can drain.
• Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces.
• Insulate both hot and cold water pipes in the garage and under kitchen and bathroom sinks.
• Close the garage door if water lines pass through the garage.
• Open the cabinet doors under sinks so warm air can reach the pipes, and move cleaners up out of reach of kids.
• On the coldest nights, let cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes.
• Set the thermostat to the same temperature day and night.
• If you travel, leave the heat on and set it no lower than 55 degrees.

The NAIC also passes along tips from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. Seal cracks and gaps on the outside of your house, and add weatherstripping around doors and windows. Get your furnace checked once a year too, and cover any vented crawl spaces for the winter.

What if a pipe freezes but does not burst?

A faucet that gives only a trickle is a warning sign, the Red Cross says. Pipes along outside walls and the spot where the water line enters through the foundation are likely places to look.

Here is what the Red Cross tells you to do:

• Leave the faucet open, so melting ice can flow out.
• Warm the frozen section with a hair dryer, an electric heating pad or towels soaked in hot water.
• Never use a blowtorch, a propane heater or any other open flame.
• Call a licensed plumber if you cannot find the frozen spot or cannot thaw it.
• Check your other faucets, because if one pipe freezes, others may freeze too.

What should you do if a pipe bursts?

Learn where your main water shutoff valve is now, so you can find it fast in an emergency.

• Turn off the water at the main shutoff valve.
• Take photos and video of the damage before you clean up.
• Call your insurance company or your agent right away.
• Call us at (847) 238-3861 and we will help you start the claim.

The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety winter guide also says to document your belongings before winter. After a loss, you will need to list what was damaged for your insurance company.

Getting your Schaumburg home ready for winter

Walk through your home this weekend and check the spots the Red Cross calls high risk. Those are basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages and pipes along outside walls with little insulation.

Heading out of town for the holidays? Set the thermostat to 55 degrees or higher before you leave, and leave the cabinet doors under your sinks open.

Check your home policy before the first freeze

Find your policy and read the section on water damage. Look for any rules about heat, empty homes or how fast you need to report a loss.

Our page on homeowners insurance in Schaumburg explains what a home policy covers, from the house to your belongings to your liability. We can compare it with the policy you have now.

Call us at (847) 238-3861 or stop by our office on Roselle Road. We help homeowners in English and in Spanish, and we are open Saturdays too.