Everything you need to know
Escape of water is one of the most common causes of damage to a property – and one of the most expensive to repair.
Water can escape for many reasons, from pipes bursting in cold temperatures to faulty appliances leaking after breaking down.
Changes in lifestyles, such as the rise in use of central heating, mean that damage from escape of water is now a greater risk for UK homes than burglary.
When you take into account the value of the average household and its contents, such as wooden floors, fitted kitchens, furniture, carpets and TVs, the damage even a single burst pipe can cause can be significantly costly.
As long as you take the right precautions, you can limit the risk of water damage, or even prevent an escape of water. We’ve put together this brief guide to help you understand the main causes, and have included tips on how to reduce the possibility of it happening in your own home, so that you can avoid the hassle of making a claim.
How escape of water is caused
Frozen pipes left unlagged in winter can burst when the water inside them starts to thaw, damaging the surrounding walls, floors and furniture. This is particularly common in unoccupied properties when the pipes are not regularly warmed through heating.
Poor construction also heightens the risk of escape of water. Plumbing methods, when applied incorrectly, can lead to faulty installation or joint failure. And, of course, simple human error – leaving valves open prior to changing the water supply system, for example – can cause a leak.
What's covered by escape of water cover?
The Bronze, Silver and Gold policies from John Lewis Home Insurance all cover damage caused by water escaping from (or freezing in) your:
Water pipes
Washing machines
Dishwashers
Fridges or freezers
Fixed water systems and tanks
Fixed central heating systems
This will also include cover for the accidental loss of metered water in your home, subject to policy limits.
Bronze, Silver and Gold policies will cover the cost of removing and replacing any part of your property, if this is necessary to repair heating or water systems that have caused the escape of water.
Tips for preventing an escape of water
What happens in the event of a claim?
We have a specialist team that manage escape of water claims and coordinate the suppliers involved in a claim. We use experts to dry and restore both buildings and contents to minimise disruption to your life. This can save you from unnecessary hassle, like getting walls replastered, or sofas treated for mould spores.
As part of your Bronze, Silver or Gold policy, our team can get you into overnight accommodation if your home is made uninhabitable due to an approved claim for water damage.
If you'd like to make a claim or you have any questions about escape of water damage, you can call us on 0345 608 9005. We're open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
John Lewis Finance, John Lewis Home Insurance and John Lewis & Partners are all trading names of John Lewis plc. Registered office: 171 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5NN. Registered in England and Wales (Registered Company Number 233462). John Lewis plc is an appointed representative of Munich Re Digital Partners Limited, a company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to carry on insurance distribution activities.
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