If you suspect you have a
slab leak, your first thought may jump to how much it will cost to fix. Your second thought may be: will my homeowners’ insurance cover the cost of repairs? Everyone’s insurance is different, so it’s always wise to call your agent and ask what the details of coverage are.
In general, homeowners’ insurance could help pay for damage resulting from a slab leak, but it may depend on the cause of the leak.
Let’s back up a bit first and talk about what a slab leak is. A slab is basically a concrete foundation your home is built on, with water and sewer lines running below that slab. A slab leak may arise if a pipe or line breaks or deteriorates, releasing water underneath the foundation.
If a plumbing leak occurs under the slab, your homeowners’ insurance policy may offer coverage for tearing out and replacing the slab as well as repairing any resulting water damage to your home. There’s something called “covered perils” which means that if certain things cause leaks in your home, the resulting repairs would be covered.
Covered perils include fire, wind, falling objects and explosions. So let’s say a strong storm such as a tornado damages your house and the slab, which leads to slab leaks or damage, you would be covered under the wind part of the policy, and therefore your insurance company may pay for repairs.
Types of Homeowners’ Insurance Coverage
There are two main kinds of homeowners’ insurance coverage that could apply to slab leaks.
- Dwelling coverage: This will help pay to fix damage to the structure itself. In terms of a slab leak, the cost of removing and replacing the slab would be covered, but not the repairs to the plumbing.
- Personal property coverage: This will help pay to repair damage that has occurred to belongings within the home. If a slab leak resulted in water damage to your furniture, this type of coverage may cover the cost to repair or replace it.
Of course, in either case, you would have to pay your deductible first before coverage can kick in.
Just remember, homeowners’ insurance only covers damage caused by any of the above perils, not maintenance issues, wear and tear, or the like. Let’s say the slab leak occurred when a tree root cracked your pipe or you simply have a pipe that is very old. That said, you could always add on service line coverage to your existing homeowners’ insurance policy if you wanted to.
How do you even know if you have a slab leak in the first place? It can be tough to know for sure, without asking a plumber or foundation repair professional to inspect the area. But in general, signs may include:
- Higher than normal water bills
- Sound of running water
- Loss of water pressure
- Wet carpets and floors
- Damp baseboards
Contact Aftermath Structural Repair
If you think you have a slab leak in your Magnolia TX home, call our team for a free quote and consultation at
281-231-8904.
