A blocked drain or burst pipe is never welcome and can be costly to put right if you don’t have insurance. But does your buildings insurance cover it or is it worth taking out a specialist policy for added protection? Our guide takes a look
Plumbing and drainage cover, sometimes called home emergency cover, is insurance that covers a range of problems including:
Check the terms and conditions of your existing buildings insurance to see whether you’re covered. If not, then you may be able to buy plumbing and drainage cover as an add-on to your policy. Alternatively, some insurers offer standalone policies that are usually more comprehensive, but are also often more expensive.
If you’re a homeowner or a landlord then you’ll be responsible for the plumbing at the property, so having insurance is sensible should anything go wrong. This isn’t just because it might otherwise cost a lot to put right, but because you’ll often want to act fast to prevent damage to the rest of the property.
If you’re a tenant, then the drains, water supply, boiler and heating systems are all your landlord’s concern. Once you inform them there is a problem they should get it fixed in a timely fashion – and as soon as possible if it’s an emergency.
However, as a tenant you may still want to think about contents insurance. This will ensure that you’ll be covered if there’s a leak in the property that damages your belongings.
Your buildings insurance is likely to cover you for some plumbing and drainage issues, but may not be as comprehensive as you would want or need.
A good buildings insurance policy should protect you against blockages and damage to underground pipes and cables bringing water, gas and electricity to your home and taking sewage away from the property. It should also cover the cost of tracing, accessing and repairing a leak.
Additionally, the policy may provide an emergency helpline number to ring should anything go wrong, and the assurance that an approved tradesperson will turn up to fix the problem.
However, not everything may be covered as standard. A blockage due to a pipe collapsing, or tree roots pushing into the sewer, might not be covered – and many policies won’t cover pipes that just leak because they are old and corroded.
Home insurance companies offer different levels of cover, with the more comprehensive policies being more expensive.
Basic cover usually starts with insuring against block drains and disruption to the water supply pipe into the property.
It’s always best to read fully through the terms to make sure you know what you’ll be covered for, but the most comprehensive policies may extend to all the following:
Look for policies that only use a network of quality-approved plumbers with parts, labour and call-outs included.
Make sure that an emergency 24/7 helpline number is also provided, as problems often need fixing urgently to prevent more damage.
It’s worth looking out for any upper limits for claims and whether there is a maximum number of claims allowed per year under the policy.
There will often be exclusions, which underlines the importance of checking the terms of your policy.
Many plumbing and drainage policies only cover the cost of call-out and repairs to the immediate issue. You should check whether your home’s contents will be covered for any damage caused by a leaking pipe or overflowing drain.
Other exceptions might include:
You should first check that the home insurance you already have in place doesn’t cover you sufficiently, or you’ll be paying twice for the same cover.
As with all insurance you need to weigh up the costs, both of the premiums and how much you’d have to pay to make the repairs yourself.
If you decide you want plumbing and drainage cover, compare the cost of a standalone policy with the extra your insurer will charge to add it on to your existing policy.
Some of the most common drainage problems include:
It depends on the nature of the problem.
Some insurers will allow you to use your plumbing and drainage cover and still keep the no-claims discount on your main home insurance.
However, insurers and policies differ, so make sure you are aware how using your home emergency cover will affect your insurance.
As with most insurance policies you can reduce your premiums by agreeing to pay a higher excess – the amount you agree to contribute to any claim before the insurance kicks in.
The amount of excess is set out when you first take out the policy. Along with the premiums, and knowing exactly what’s covered in the terms, it’s something to consider before buying your plumbing and drainage insurance.
Whether buildings or contents insurance, finding cheaper home cover is quick and easy through MoneySuperMarket.
Just tell us a few details about you and your property and we’ll help you compare the best deals from our leading panel of providers.
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