Escape of water (burst pipes and leaks) is excluded between 1 October and 1 April — that’s six months of the year. Outside that period, it may be covered provided the property has been inspected at least every 30 days and a record kept. If the property is empty for more than 180 consecutive days or is noted as unoccupied on your policy, escape of water is excluded year-round. See our Unoccupied Home Insurance page for full details.