Does Home Insurance Cover Frozen Pipes?

A pipe that freezes and bursts can soak floors, walls and belongings in a few hours. The good news is that standard homeowners policies often cover sudden water damage from a burst pipe. The catch is that coverage can depend on whether the home was heated, occupied and reasonably maintained. Here is what to check before the first hard freeze.

The short answer

Most standard homeowners policies, such as the common HO-3 form, are written to cover sudden and accidental water damage. A pipe that freezes, splits and floods a room usually fits that description, so the resulting damage to the house and your belongings is often covered, minus your deductible. Two things are commonly treated differently:

• The pipe itself. Some policies pay to tear out and replace the wall or floor needed to reach the pipe but not for the failed pipe, or they treat the repair of the plumbing system differently from the water damage. Read the "water damage" and "tear out" wording in your policy.
• Damage caused by a lack of reasonable care. Many policies limit or exclude freezing damage if you did not take reasonable steps to keep the heat on, or to shut off and drain the water, while the home was unoccupied. That is why vacancy and heating matter so much.

When a frozen-pipe claim may be denied or reduced

Every policy and state is different, but these situations are where problems usually appear:

• The heat was off or set very low in an empty home, and the water was not shut off and drained.
• The home was vacant for longer than the period your policy allows. Many policies restrict certain coverages after a home has been vacant for a set number of consecutive days, so check yours before a long trip or between tenants.
• A slow, long-term leak. Damage that developed over weeks or months, such as rot, mold or a dripping joint, is often excluded as wear and tear or a maintenance issue, even if cold weather was involved.
• Outdoor and unheated areas. Garden hoses, outdoor spigots, sprinkler lines, pools and fences may be limited or excluded, depending on the policy.
• Flooding from outside the home. Water that enters from the ground or from rising water is generally a flood matter, which standard homeowners policies usually exclude. Flood insurance is a separate policy.

Mold that follows a burst pipe can be capped or excluded on many policies. Fast drying is the best protection, both for the house and for the claim.

Prevention steps that also protect your claim

Insurers generally expect "reasonable care." These steps are commonly recommended and are easy to document:

1. Keep the heat on, including when you travel. Many plumbers suggest a steady, moderate thermostat setting rather than turning it off.
2. Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, attics, garages and exterior walls with foam sleeves or heat tape rated for the purpose.
3. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off and drain outdoor spigots before the first freeze.
4. Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during cold snaps so warm air reaches the pipes.
5. Let a faucet drip on the coldest nights if a line is known to freeze.
6. Know where the main water shut-off is and make sure it turns. Everyone in the household should know how to close it.
7. For trips or empty homes, shut off and drain the water, or ask someone to check the house regularly and keep a simple log. Smart leak sensors and temperature alerts are inexpensive, and some insurers offer a discount for them.

What to do if a pipe bursts

1. Shut off the main water and, if water is near outlets or the panel, turn off the electricity to that area if it is safe.
2. Document everything with photos and video before cleanup: the pipe, the water, the damaged rooms and belongings.
3. Prevent further damage. Remove standing water, move belongings, and run fans or dehumidifiers. Policies generally expect you to take reasonable steps to limit the loss, and emergency mitigation costs are often part of the claim. Keep the receipts.
4. Call your insurer promptly and ask what you need before permanent repairs start.
5. Keep damaged items until the adjuster has seen them, or until the insurer says you can discard them.
6. Ask about additional living expenses if the home is not livable. Many policies help pay for temporary housing after a covered loss.

Is it worth filing a claim?

Compare the estimated repair cost to your deductible. If the damage is only a little above the deductible, some homeowners choose to pay out of pocket, because claims history can affect future pricing and eligibility with some insurers. For larger losses, a claim is what the policy is for. Either way, report the incident if your policy requires it.

Policy features to review before winter

• Deductible. Is it an amount you could pay tomorrow?
• Water damage and tear-out wording, plus any water or mold sub-limits.
• Vacancy and unoccupancy conditions, if you travel or own a second home.
• Replacement cost vs. actual cash value for your belongings.
• Water backup coverage. A sewer or drain backup is usually a separate, optional endorsement, not the same as a burst pipe.
• Flood insurance, if you are in an area where outside water is a real risk.

If these questions show gaps, comparing policies is the simplest next step. See how homeowners insurance coverages fit together, what affects the price of home insurance, and compare home insurance by ZIP.

FAQ

Q: Does homeowners insurance cover a burst pipe from freezing?
A: Often yes for the sudden water damage it causes, minus your deductible, provided you took reasonable care, such as keeping the home heated or the water shut off and drained. The pipe repair itself may be treated differently.

Q: What if I was away when the pipe froze?
A: Coverage may depend on whether the heat was on, whether the water was shut off and drained, and how long the home was unoccupied under your policy's terms. Check the vacancy and freezing conditions before you travel.

Q: Is water from a sewer backup the same as a burst pipe?
A: No. Sewer and drain backup is usually excluded unless you add a water backup endorsement.