If you’re in need of slab leak insurance coverage, you’re probably wondering if your homeowners insurance will provide it for you. While standard home insurance does cover some water damage, it generally does not cover any damage that results from the leak itself or any plumbing issues that are already present prior to the leak.
Here’s what to expect from home insurance if you have a slab leak issue, and how to find the best coverage if you need it.
What is a Slab Leak? Does Farmers Insurance Cover Slab Leaks
When you walk on a slab, you might notice some slight sinking or softness in your steps. This is typically no cause for concern, but there are some scenarios where it can indicate serious problems beneath your house that could lead to a costly repair. Here’s what you need to know about slab leaks and how they are covered under slab leak insurance coverage.
Why Slab Leaks Happen?
Slab leaks can occur for a variety of reasons. Tree roots, for example, can penetrate your yard and end up getting into your home’s drainage system. If you have a plumbing line that has been installed incorrectly or past its expiration date, it could be prone to breakage.
Over time, these issues lead to plumbing problems in and around your house; these problems often result in slab leaks if they aren’t resolved soon enough. In some cases, it might not be safe to allow slab leaks to continue unchecked; over time, they can actually cause structural damage to your home.
How Do I Determine How Big My Slab Leak Is?
Thankfully, there is a way to figure out whether or not you are covered for slab leaks by your insurance carrier. The best way to determine whether or not your issue qualifies for slab leak insurance coverage is by taking a look at your policy.
Most insurance policies will cover leakage that results from foundation settlement and shifting of existing foundations, but many will require proof that water damage occurred due to settlement—often called a seepage loss.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Slab Leak Repair
If you have an indoor sump pump, some insurers will not provide coverage unless they can prove that it’s because of a seepage loss due to settling and/or shifting.
What are the common signs of a slab leak?
To understand what might cause a slab leak, it helps to first take a look at how they occur. If you live in an area that is susceptible to these types of problems, then it may be worth taking a closer look at your insurance policy and whether slab leaks are covered.
In most cases, homeowners insurance policies do not cover slab leaks; instead, they often cover damage related to wear and tear or maintenance issues. For example, if you have an older home with worn-out plumbing pipes, water damage caused by bursting pipes may be covered by your policy even if it occurs above ground.
However, a broken pipe from tree roots—which are clearly outside of your control—might not be covered by homeowners insurance.
Should I Clean Up the Water Before Calling in An Inspector?
Some will tell you to remove as much water as possible, others will say not to bother. Personally, I lean toward not removing it – but that’s just me.
It’s very unlikely you’ll actually cause any damage by cleaning up a little water, but it can make a huge difference in your homeowner’s insurance claim if you don’t clean up after yourself and the plumber discovers everything was soaked with water when he arrives.
That being said, if there is mold present or another reason why cleaning things up would be helpful for your health and/or cleanup, then go for it!
Important Questions to Ask An Inspector Before Signing Anything
Although you may be tempted to put off home repairs as long as possible, that can end up costing you even more in repairs. The best thing to do is to start dealing with small problems as soon as they arise.
But before signing a contract for a slab leak insurance coverage, there are a few questions you should ask an inspector about any claims or estimates he or she provides: What experience does your business have with trenchless pipe repair?
How do you feel about guaranteeing your workmanship for at least one year after a job is completed? Does your business accept payment plans so homeowners don’t have to pay in full before work begins on their pipes?
Sample Contracts You Can Use to Hire An Expert Yourself, Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Slab Leaks
If you’re not a lawyer, you may have some trouble understanding (and making sense of) contracts that are written by lawyers. Fortunately, there are some great resources out there for both hiring a real estate attorney and finding sample forms and templates for common contracts like employment agreements or standard form contracts. For example, Rocket Lawyer offers sample agreements and pre-written legal documents that might help you do everything from buying or selling a home to partnering with an employee on an idea or starting your own business.
What Else Should I Look Out For With Slab Leaks?
Slab leaks are notoriously expensive to fix, and they don’t often appear until they’re in a very bad state. If you notice discoloration around your toilets or sinks, it may be an indication of a slab leak. A small leak in your water pipes will eventually cause major issues with your home foundation if left unchecked.
slab leak insurance coverage
You can also run into mold problems or have difficulties selling or refinancing your home because there is such high value on water pressure and flow throughout a property.
Are Slab Leaks Covered by Homeowners Insurance? Or Does Insurance Cover Slab Leak
If a tree root has grown into your sewer line, and you’ve had to replace it under your city’s municipal code, you might expect that as an insured loss. However, if a slab leak is due to ordinary wear and tear on plumbing lines, homeowner’s insurance generally does not cover these common situations.
Is A Slab Leak Covered by Insurance? Or Are Slab Leaks Covered by Insurance?
The short answer to if slab leaks are covered by homeowner’s insurance is no. The long answer is that it depends on a number of factors. While you may not be getting coverage from your policy, there are options to help you with these costs. The first step would be to identify why exactly you have a leak. Once you know what caused it, then you can determine if repair costs are covered under your current policy or if they will have to come out of pocket.
Slab Leak Insurance Coverage State Farm
The answer to that question is not straightforward. As it turns out, there are two different types of slab leaks. The first is caused by a tree root that has grown up into your drain line. This type of damage usually does not require immediate attention, as most insurance companies will pay for professional services like having an arborist remove problematic trees and shrubs from around your house.
Does Allstate Cover Slab Leaks
The second type of slab leak is a piping problem which may be more serious, depending on its cause. This problem could result in some expensive water damage to your home if left unchecked, so it’s important to have it addressed immediately if you notice any water damage to your basement walls or floors.
USAA Slab Leak Coverage
Does your homeowners insurance cover slab leaks? – Most often, they do not. Though, there are instances when they will. But it’s important to know exactly what is and isn’t covered because some damage is 100% avoidable and should be prepared for.
For example, a cracked slab caused by tree roots pushing against or into it can happen over time and may cost you several thousand dollars to fix if you don’t take preventative measures first.
How to Get Insurance to Cover A Slab Leak
Unfortunately, homeowners insurance will usually not cover slab leaks. Water damage is typically covered under regular home owner’s insurance policies, but water damage due to a leak coming from underground plumbing lines falls under a different section of your policy—basically making it an exclusion in most cases.
If you want coverage for slab leaks, you may need to talk with an agent about getting a special rider attached to your policy. This rider would be more expensive than regular homeowners insurance though, so think about what you’re trying to protect before starting down that road.
Farmers Insurance Slab Leak Coverage
A slab leak is any crack or hole in your foundation and can be caused by different factors including weather, plumbing issues, and even tree roots. A slab leak usually won’t show any signs of damage on the surface. Instead, you’ll typically notice water stains on your ceiling or floor that could be a result of a crack or hole in your foundation.
Whether these problems are covered under homeowners insurance varies based on individual policies, but there are ways to protect yourself from an expensive surprise should something go wrong.