Does Insurance Cover Cast Iron Pipes in Home Insurance Plans?

So you're wondering if insurance covers cast iron pipes in your home insurance plan. The answer can be a bit tricky. In many cases, standard home insurance policies do not specifically cover cast iron pipes.

Typically, standard home insurance policies cover damage to your home's plumbing system, but this usually only applies to newer pipes, not cast iron ones. According to our research, cast iron pipes are often considered a maintenance issue rather than a covered event.

Homeowners with older homes, especially those built before the 1950s, are more likely to have cast iron pipes. These pipes are prone to corrosion and can burst, causing costly repairs.

Homeowners insurance can provide coverage for cast iron pipes in certain situations. If an event covered by your policy causes damage to your cast iron pipes, you're likely to be covered.

Your policy will generally cover two common types of cast iron pipes: gray cast iron pipes and ductile cast iron pipes. Gray cast iron pipes are resistant to corrosion and have compressive strength, while ductile cast iron pipes are stronger and tougher due to their spherical graphite microstructure.

Some home insurance providers offer additional coverage options for cast iron pipes, including service line coverage, equipment breakdown coverage, and water backup coverage. Service line coverage can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing damaged service lines, while equipment breakdown coverage can cover repair or replacement of essential home systems, including plumbing.

If you have a home with cast iron pipes, it's essential to have the right homeowners insurance coverage to protect against damage or failure. Even if your policy doesn't cover the replacement of your pipes, you may still be eligible for coverage for demolition and repair costs.

Here are some signs of leaking or damaged cast iron pipes to watch out for:

Knowing what your policy says is crucial to a successful claim. Insurance companies often try to pass off damage caused by leaking cast iron pipes as the homeowner's fault, but you may still be eligible for coverage in some cases.

If your home's cast iron pipes are damaged, your insurance coverage may not apply in certain situations. Normal wear and tear from long-term use is usually not covered by homeowners insurance.

Some events that may not be covered include preventable damage, such as slow leaks that are considered negligence by insurers. Arson, which is intentionally setting a fire that damages or destroys your cast iron pipes, is also not covered.

Flooding is not typically covered by homeowners insurance, so damage to your cast iron pipes from flooding would likely not be covered either. Similarly, earthquake damage to cast iron pipes is often excluded from homeowners insurance policies.

Here are some specific examples of when coverage may not apply:

If your home was built before 1978, it's likely to have cast iron plumbing, and regular inspections can help identify potential problems before they become major issues.

Filing a claim for damaged cast iron pipes can be a big decision, and it's essential to consider a couple of key factors. Your deductible amount is one of them.

If you have a $1000 deductible with your home insurance and the repairs to your cast iron pipes are going to cost around $700, you don't need to file a claim. It won't net you anything, and some companies won't even allow policyholders to file a claim when the cost is less than the deductible.

A probable premium increase is the other major factor. Insurers will almost always raise premiums after a claim, and the increase might last for the life of the policy. The average premium increase is 21% per year after a claim.

To file a claim, start by letting your home insurance carrier know about the problem. Take clear photos and/or videos of the damage to your cast iron pipes, along with notes about everything pertaining to the situation.

Your insurance company will send a claims adjuster to appraise and assess the damage to your cast iron pipes and any damage this has caused to your property. Be present for this assessment if possible.

Once you have obtained approval from your insurer, get estimates for repair of your cast iron pipes from contractors and submit these estimates to your insurer.

Here's a step-by-step guide to filing a claim:

Homeowners insurance can provide coverage for cast iron pipes in some situations, dependent on what caused the damage.

If an event that is a covered peril in your home insurance policy causes damage to cast iron pipes in your home or property, it will probably be covered.

Some common covered perils that would be covered by your homeowners policy for repairs to cast iron pipes include fire, tornadoes, burst pipes, lightning, roof leaks, hail, accidental leaks, and windstorms.

You should review your policy to see what is considered a covered peril.

Some insurance providers offer additional types of coverage for cast iron pipes, such as service line coverage, equipment breakdown coverage, scheduled personal property endorsement, and water backup coverage.

Service line coverage can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing damaged underground service lines.

Equipment breakdown coverage can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing essential home systems, including plumbing.

Scheduled personal property endorsement can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing historically significant or antique cast iron pipes.

Water backup coverage can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing damaged cast iron pipes that cause water backup.

It's essential to know what your policy says and to take clear photos and videos of the damage to your cast iron pipes.

You should also keep notes about everything pertaining to the situation, including any damage done as a result.

Your insurance company will send a claims adjuster to appraise and assess the damage to your cast iron pipes and any damage this has caused to your property.

You should be present for this assessment if possible.

Once you have obtained approval from your insurer, get estimates for repair of your cast iron pipes from contractors and submit these estimates to your insurer.

When the estimates and contractors have received approval from your home insurance provider, the repair work can begin.

Keep all of the estimates and all receipts, and make copies for your records and turn the originals over to your insurance carrier.

If you have a high deductible, it might not be worth filing a claim for damage to your cast iron pipes.

You should also consider the potential premium increase after a claim, which can be up to 21% per year.

Here are some common covered perils that would be covered by your homeowners policy for repairs to cast iron pipes: