Will an insurance claim cover a water leak in the bathroom?
Short answer. A sudden bathroom leak, such as a burst supply line, a cracked toilet tank or an overflowing tub, is usually covered for the damage it causes, minus your deductible. Slow leaks from a failing shower pan, worn grout and caulk, or a toilet seal that seeped for months are typically excluded as wear or continuous seepage.
Common bathroom leak sources and how they usually go
- Braided supply line bursts: sudden, usually covered for the resulting damage.
- Cracked toilet tank or overflow: sudden, usually covered.
- Toilet wax ring: typically a slow seep that rots the subfloor over months; usually excluded.
- Shower pan or tile failure: gradual leakage through grout and a failed pan; usually excluded as wear.
- Drain line crack inside a wall: depends on timing; tearing out the wall to reach it is often covered when the resulting damage is.
What the claim usually pays
The insurer pays to repair the damage the water caused: subfloor, ceiling below, drywall, flooring, cabinets, and the tear out needed to reach the leak. It usually does not pay to fix the failed part itself, such as the supply line or the shower pan. Tile is a common sticking point, because matching discontinued tile may require redoing more than the damaged area.
When the bathroom leak is really the roof
A stain on a bathroom ceiling under the attic can come from the exhaust fan's roof cap or vent flashing, or from warm, moist air condensing in an uninsulated fan duct. If the stain appears during rain, have the roof and vent checked before you assume it is plumbing.
Steps to take
- Shut off the water at the fixture or main.
- Photograph everything before cleanup.
- Call a drying company and keep its moisture logs.
- Report the claim promptly to avoid a mold dispute.
See interior water damage from roof leaks if the source turns out to be above.