Escape of water guide
What is an Escape of Water?
Our policy booklet defines Escape of Water as “the leaking of water into a home from pipes, water tanks, boilers or other kitchen appliances. It is a peril that can damage homes and contents, such as furniture, electrics and carpeting, by way of damp and residue”.
You can find more definitions in our Insurance Glossary.
What counts as Escape of Water (and what doesn’t)?
Leaks from fixed plumbing or heating systems, tanks or cylinders, radiators, baths, showers or sinks and appliances plumbed in (washing machines, dishwashers), are all generally included.
This is not the same as:
- Flood: Water entering from outside (e.g., river, sea, heavy rain run-off).
- Damp/condensation: Gradual moisture build-up, typically wear and tear/maintenance issues.
- Rainwater ingress: Water through roofs/windows without a sudden/accidental cause.
Report leaks early. Long-term seepage that wasn’t acted on promptly may be excluded if you want to make a claim.
Our policy booklet defines a flood as “a sudden release or rapid build-up of water, including groundwater, entering the Buildings or Outbuildings from outside”.
In general, insurers define flooding as water that has come into the home from the outside, whereas an Escape of Water has come from inside the property.
If your property is at risk of flooding, we may be able to offer Flood Risk Insurance.
An excess is the amount you pay towards a claim, deducted from the settlement amount.
A special excess is a higher excess that applies to certain claims like Flood, Escape of Water, Subsidence, Landslip or Heave, because these claims are frequent and often costly.
This special excess usually applies in addition to your standard excess and may apply separately to buildings and contents. The exact amounts are shown on your policy schedule.
Yes, certain types of properties are considered higher risk for Escape of Water claims. Examples include:
– Older properties – Older plumbing systems are more prone to corrosion and pipe deterioration and may also be harder to access to repair.
– Unoccupied properties – An Escape of Water can go unnoticed for longer, which can lead to more damage. This is the same for Second Homes and Holiday Homes.
– Multi-unit dwellings – Including blocks of flats, where shared pipework can mean one leak may affect multiple properties, especially with more kitchens, bathrooms, and appliances per building.
– Properties with complex plumbing – Multiple bathrooms, underfloor heating, and water features.
Escape of Water claims are typically one of the top home insurance claim types in the UK, both in terms of frequency and cost. In fact, they make up approximately one-third of home insurance claims, costing millions of pounds each year.
Common causes of Escape of Water include:
– Burst or leaking pipes – This can be caused by freezing temperatures, corrosion, accidental damage (e.g. pierced pipes during DIY), or poor installation. See our Guide to Dealing with Frozen Pipes.
– Leaking appliances – E.g. washing machines, dishwashers, fridges with water dispensers, or water tanks.
– Overflowing baths, sinks, or toilets/cisterns – Often because of blockages, or when taps are left running.
– Leaking shower trays or wet rooms.
– Central heating system failure – This can be from radiators, boilers, or underfloor heating pipes.
– Aquariums and water features – Accidental breakage or failure of parts can cause water to escape into the property.
– Failed seals/grout, perished flexible hoses, faulty ball valves, corroded radiators, defective loft tanks,
– Unusual meter readings or boiler pressure drops
– Damp patches
– Bubbling paint
– Musty odours
– Persistent condensation near pipe runs
– Sounds of trickling water
– Mould growth
– Warm/cold spots on walls/floors
Escape of Water prevention by room
Whole property
Test your stopcock periodically and label it clearly so everyone in the household can find it. Where possible, fit isolation valves to sinks, toilets, and appliances to make controlling leaks more manageable. Inspect flexible braided hoses and replace them at the first sign of wear, or proactively every few years as good practice.
Keep an eye on grout and sealant around baths, showers and sinks, renewing them when they crack or lift, as these can wear down quickly. Service boilers and heating systems annually and consider installing smart leak detectors and/or automatic shutoff valves for added protection.
Kitchen/utility room
Use WRAS-approved hoses and connectors and check for kinks, corrosion or discolouration on joints and pipes. Placing drip trays or leak pads beneath sinks and appliances can provide an early warning and prevent initially small leaks from causing damage. Avoid moving or overloading appliances without first checking the condition and routing of hoses.
Bathrooms/showers/wet rooms
Quality seals and correct tanking are essential in bathrooms. Reseal baths and showers as soon as gaps appear and regrout cracked tiles. If a bath or shower tray moves when you step on it, secure it promptly, as movement can break down seals faster and then lead to leaks.
Loft, tanks and cold spaces
Lag exposed pipes and insulate cold water tanks but avoid insulating directly beneath a loft tank so some warmth can reach it. Check that tank lids fit securely and test ball valves and overflow pipes to ensure they operate correctly. In severe cold, keeping loft hatches slightly ajar can help warm air circulate.
External
Before freezing weather, isolate and drain outside taps and any external pipe runs. Know where the external stop tap is (this can sometimes be found at the property boundary), in case the internal stopcock cannot be used.
Winter and cold-weather measures
During cold weather, keep your heating on low (typically between 12 and 15°C) and open internal doors to allow warm air to reach pipes in cupboards and behind panels. If your property is going to be unoccupied for a long period of winter, consider draining down the water system using a qualified plumber and check that loft insulation does not overly chill tanks and pipework. These simple steps can prevent pipes from freezing and bursting, especially when a property is empty.
For more information, read our Guide to Winter Home Protection.
Escape of Water for unoccupied properties
For short trips, consider turning off the water at the stopcock if it’s practical to do so. For longer periods of unoccupancy (30+ days), drain down the system and/or use a smart shutoff device, and maintain low background heating in winter. Many policies apply different terms once a property is unoccupied beyond a set period and may require specific precautions – always refer to your policy schedule and wording.
For more information, read our Empty Homes Guide.
Escape of Water for flats, maisonettes and shared buildings
In shared buildings, keep contact details for neighbours and the managing agent to hand and report leaks immediately, as water can travel quickly between flats, especially downwards. If a neighbour’s leak damages your home, you can usually claim under your own policy for your losses first. If negligence is proven against your neighbour, your insurer may then seek to recover costs from the responsible party.
Escape of Water for landlords and tenants
Landlords are generally responsible for the structure, and installations for water and heating systems, so regular inspections, pipe lagging and prompt repairs help prevent losses and minimise disruption for tenants. Tenants should report any leaks immediately to the landlord or managing agent and should consider their own contents insurance to protect personal belongings.
Smart leak detection and monitoring
Point of leak sensors in kitchens, bathrooms and lofts can alert you to problems early, while inline flow monitors can detect unusual water usage and shut the supply off automatically. Some smart meters and boiler systems can flag unexpected pressure drops or rises. Ask your insurer whether any risk reduction devices you use are recognised and/or can be noted on your policy.
What to do if you have a leak
- Safety first: If water is near electrics, switch off the electricity at the consumer unit if safe to do so.
- Turn off water: Use the internal stopcock to turn off the water and open the cold taps to drain the system. For leaks in your heating system, turn off the boiler and isolate the system, but only attempt this if you know how.
- Protect your contents by moving belongings out of harm’s way. Use buckets and towels to clean up the water. Start to ventilate your property to encourage drying.
- Document the incident by taking photos/video (source of leak, affected rooms, damaged items).
- Call a qualified plumber to stop the leak and make safe. Keep reports and invoices.
- Notify your insurer as soon as possible and follow guidance on next steps.
Drying out your property and preventing mould
If you need to dry out your property after an escape of water and you have concerns about possible mould growth, encourage airflow throughout your property by opening windows (weather permitting) and running extractor fans. Use dehumidifiers and empty them regularly, lifting and drying rugs and cushions, and moving furniture off damp floors to prevent staining and warping.
Remove standing water promptly using towels and mops and consider professional assistance for significant contamination or mould. Timber, plaster and subfloors may take weeks to dry completely, and regular moisture readings are often required before reinstatement can begin to avoid trapping moisture.
Making an Escape of Water claim
Buildings insurance typically covers damage to building elements such as walls, floors, ceilings, fixed bathrooms and kitchens). Contents insurance covers belongings like furniture, rugs, electronics and clothing.
Many home insurance policies include trace and access cover for the reasonable cost of locating and accessing the source of a leak, but this can sometimes be limited. The cost to repair the failed section of pipe may or may not be included, and appliances themselves are often excluded. If your home is uninhabitable due to insured damage, alternative accommodation may be available within policy limits.
An escape of water excess often applies. Common market exclusions include gradual leaks not acted upon, wear and tear, poor maintenance (such as failed grout or sealant) and faulty workmanship.
When you contact your insurer, have your policy number and contact details to hand. Explain when the leak occurred and what you believe caused it and describe the steps you took to limit further damage. Photographs or videos of the source and affected areas are very helpful, as are a plumber’s report or invoice and any moisture readings. For contents claims, provide an itemised list of damaged items with approximate ages and, where available, receipts or model details.
Most home insurance policies insure sudden, unforeseen escape of water (for example, a burst pipe or a valve that suddenly fails). Gradual seepage, wear and tear, and poor maintenance (such as deteriorated grout/sealant or failed shower tray tanking) are commonly excluded. If damage has built up over weeks or months, and there were visible warning signs (like staining, mould, soft flooring) that weren’t acted upon, cover is often reduced or declined.
Mould is usually covered only when it directly results from an insured event (such as a flood or an unforeseen escape of water), and you’ve taken prompt steps to ventilate and dry the area. Ongoing mould or rot from long-term damp, condensation, or delayed mitigation is usually excluded.
You would usually claim under your own policy for your damage, regardless of where the leak started. Your insurer may later seek to recover costs from the neighbour (or their insurer) if there’s evidence of negligence (for example, they ignored a known leak or carried out poor workmanship).
Some policies may include limited cover for accidental damage to underground service pipes and cables within your property boundary (e.g. fresh water supply, drains), plus reinstatement of surfaces after repairs.
Finding the leak can be the expensive part. Some policies contribute to locating and accessing the leak (often under “trace and access”). It provides cover for the reasonable cost of finding the source of a leak and getting to it (for example: lifting floors, opening walls, removing tiles), usually up to a stated limit. Policies vary on whether the cost to repair the failed pipe/fixture is covered. Often the pipe repair is limited or excluded, with the policy focusing on resultant damage instead.
In flats, trace and access typically only applies to work within your own premises. If the source is in a neighbour’s flat, access is generally not something your own policy pays for. The managing agent or the neighbour’s insurer will normally handle access and repair in those areas.
Matching items cover is commonly limited. Insurers generally repair or replace the damaged area to a reasonably comparable standard but don’t guarantee an exact match for undamaged areas. This often affects discontinued tiles, specialist flooring, or bespoke finishes.
Some policies have specific “matching sets” clauses. As a rule of thumb, expect replacement of the damaged section only, unless your policy provides enhanced matching cover.
If you hold contents insurance, belongings such as furniture, rugs, clothing, soft furnishings, and most household electronics are usually covered for sudden escape of water damage, subject to the excess and limits. High-value items may be subject to single article limits or require specific listing. Items may be cleaned/restored where viable (for example: rugs and some furniture). Proof of purchase and photos usually help the claims process.
Many policies have a specific escape of water excess. If both buildings and contents are claimed for the same incident, some insurers charge one excess (usually the higher relevant one), while others charge both.
A claim can affect your premium and any no-claims discount at renewal. Some insurers may also add terms after repeated leaks (for example: a higher excess for future escape of water claims).
Home insurance policies typically do not cover metered water charges or increased bills due to a leak. However, many water companies consider “leak allowances” or bill adjustments for hidden supply pipe leaks once repaired. Contact your supplier with meter readings and a plumber’s confirmation of an issue.
Generally, no, as this is usually treated as storm/rainwater ingress or sometimes wear and tear, not escape of water from a plumbing system. Storm cover often requires evidence of storm conditions and sudden physical damage (for example: tiles blown off). Gradual deterioration or a known maintenance issue is commonly excluded.
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