Escape of Water Insurance Claims in Flats
18th January 2019
Escape of water is one of the most common causes of home insurance claims and can cause a huge inconvenience to tenants and home owners. Flats are a higher risk than other types of accommodation as one leak could affect many flats on multiple floors of the building.
Whilst every precaution may be taken in an individual flat, escape of water in the flat above could have equally devastating consequences on the ones below. Alternative accommodation may need to be sought whilst repairs are undertaken, which can take up to several months to complete.
It’s vitally important to spot any damage promptly and to minimise the damage. A number of factors can have a direct impact on the risk of an escape of water loss happening, and the first step in prevention is to understand where the risks lie.
The most common causes of escape of water in residential properties are:
Things you can do to prevent water leaks and reduce the risk of damage:
Everyone in the flat know should where the stop tap (stop cock) is and, more importantly, how to operate it.
Smart water detectors and water cut off devices are available that can spot even the smallest change in your water consumption and alert you to the issue.
Older properties can present a problem as plastic parts can become brittle or corrode. Additionally older buildings are less effective at preventing a leak.
If away over the winter months keep the heating on continuously at 10ºC to ensure that the temperature will not fall below this level.
To find out more about property and landlords insurance please click here or call 020 7929 0108.