# Underfloor leak...claim on House insurance??



## desparate (6 Dec 2017)

We have just discovered we may have a serious leak from water pipes under concrete floors. No water damage can be seen yet, but confirmed by plumber we losing a lot of water from buffer tank in attic. We have underfloor heating throughout house. Our excess for ‘escape/overflow of water’ is €500. We have never made an insurance claim b4 and we wonder will making claim hugely increase our premium. We are 9+ yrs with current insurer. Our policy states one claim would put us back on step 2. Any ideas claim/don’t claim?


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## Leo (6 Dec 2017)

You need to get an idea of just how much the location and repair of the leak is going to cost. You also need to look at your policy closely and ensure this is covered. Some policies will have a higher excess for damage caused by leaks.

You will then need to make a call on the amount you will receive after deduction of the excess against the increased premiums over the next number of years and see which option makes most sense.

The fact that you have been with your current insurer for 9+ years only really means you are likely to be paying over the odds already for your insurance. I've yet to see an insurer that rewards that kind of  loyalty.


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## Jazz01 (6 Dec 2017)

desparate - you need to look at your policy carefully. Some home insurance policies don't pay for the work / costs involved in locating the leak and/or resolving it - it might only cover the damage done, minus the excess.


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## Jimbobp (6 Dec 2017)

They're will probably be a bigger cost for the 'trace and access' of the leak and putting the floor back than to the pipes themselves, so check under that section of your policy to see what is covered. The plumber should be able to do a pressure test to see if you are losing water and they're are also specialist companies that can check for leaks without digging up the floor. Sounds like a significant enough job though so I'd say you will probably have to claim. Their are a number of specialist insurers on the market that will quote the year after you make a claim so if you're existing company quote a crazy premium, you will have options.


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## DirectDevil (6 Dec 2017)

Is there any danger of the insurers trying to repudiate the claim if the policy wording excludes gradually operating causes.

With some situations I wonder where lies the boundary between gradually operating causes as distinct from a definitive event which was only discovered after time because it was not obvious as is the case here.


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## Easeler (6 Dec 2017)

I probably wouldn't bother with insurance you need to get it done guickly, get out the water detection company find leek dig up floor and fix leek and put back floor.


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## desparate (6 Dec 2017)

Thanks for replies...they don’t make it easy to claim...damned if u do, damned if u don’t. A loan might be easier. I know our water pipes are under the underfloor heating, risk of harm to that when taking up floor. No win situatio. Ins company have said they will only cover trace and access.?wont cover anything else. Very angry. @Leo we are 9+yrs with same company because we never got a cheaper quote.?


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## Leo (7 Dec 2017)

desparate said:


> . @Leo we are 9+yrs with same company because we never got a cheaper quote.?



Fair enough, that wouldn't be most people's experience. Who's your current insurer?  I wonder are you matching some risk profile they are very comfortable with.

I'm sure you're probably doing this anyway, but ensure you are reviewing the cover details. Rebuild costs have moved in that time.


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