The concern over frozen pipes and pipe bursting incidents is serious. During these harsh winter temperatures, many policyholders are trying to understand exactly what their insurance covers.
Equipping yourself with knowledge is the best way to prevent or navigate an unfortunate weather-related home accident. With enough clarity, you’ll be able to confidently decide what best next steps to take when securing your home for winter freezes or managing the aftermath of frozen pipes.
Homeowner Insurance and Frozen Pipes
Generally speaking, pipes that are frozen during the cold, winter months are usually covered by insurance companies. Even if these frozen pipes burst and cause water damage, the insurer is most likely going to cover the costs. However, there are always exceptions, and keep in mind it is not in the financial best interest of the insurance company to offer you the highest payout.
It’s important to carefully read the wording on your current policy to determine what is considered ‘eligible’ and ‘non-eligible’. When you review your policy, notate areas of uncertainty along with any requirements listed to discuss with a trusted public adjuster.
What Would Deny a Frozen Pipe or Pipe Bursting Claim?
When facing the difficulties of winter weather, the last thing you want is a flooded property due to bursting frozen pipes.
The following reasons could potentially result in your claim being denied:
—Lack of Proper Maintenance
Insurance companies may decide to deny your claim after determining you failed to keep up with regular expected maintenance. This could include not replacing pipes that were corroded or not keeping them in tip-top shape.
—Negligence
Negligence is another common reason pipe bursting claims get denied. The term ‘negligence’ is a blanket term used to describe even the smallest oversight on your part. It could be that you did not insulate them prior to inclement weather or anything else considered “negligent” on your part.
—Old Pipes and Other Normal Wear
If insurance companies determine your home’s pipes froze or burst due to normal wear and tear such as aging or becoming corroded, they are likely to deny the claim.
The best way to navigate the issue of bursting or frozen pipes is to seek the help of a licensed public adjuster. Doing so helps to fairly analyze your claim without the threat of insurance companies denying or offering a lesser payout than what you deserve.
SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. Advocates Only for the Insured’s Benefit
SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. (“SunPoint”) is the “Gold Standard” of the Public Adjusting industry. We comprehensively review and evaluate your insurance settlement, immediately deploy a team of specialists to assess and quantify your damages, and customize a strategy around your personal recovery to promptly and properly maximize the resolution of your claim.
Our in-house experts and external veteran professionals are experienced in quantifying and negotiating building, personal property, inventory, or other additional coverages. We work solely on your behalf to favorably resolve your claim. Our team ensures your insurance company does not delay, diminish, or deny benefits that are rightfully owed to you. Industry authorities agree that having a public adjuster, like SunPoint, on your side early in the process expedites and maximizes your recovery.
Policyholders have been benefiting from our knowledge and advocacy for decades. We have handled, managed, and successfully navigated claims ranging from homeowner losses; corporate losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars; disaster losses involving government entities and entire municipalities; agricultural and recall losses, and virtually any type of disaster claim that could be imagined. Our team of Public Adjusters, building cost consultants, inventory specialists, forensic accountants, and equipment consultants are unmatched in our industry. It is easy to be big. But it takes dedication every day to be the best – we have that dedication. Our goal is aligned with yours. To obtain a free insurance settlement assessment of your specific circumstances and recovery please contact us and strategize your optimal means of recovery.