Freezing Pipes: Prevention Tips and What Your Homeowners Insurance Really Covers

As temperatures dip and winter settles in, freezing pipes become a serious threat to homeowners. While a frozen pipe may seem like a minor inconvenience, the resulting damage from a burst pipe can be catastrophic, and the insurance implications might surprise you.

According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, a burst pipe can cause more than $5,000 in water damage on average, and often much more depending on how long the leak goes undetected.

Let’s explore what steps you can take to prevent freezing pipes, what happens if a pipe bursts, and how your homeowners insurance may or may not respond.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

The best defense is preparation. Here are some proven ways to reduce your risk:

• Insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas like attics, basements, and crawl spaces.
• Seal gaps where cold air could reach plumbing—especially near holes for cable lines, dryer vents, and pipes.
• Let faucets drip slightly during cold snaps, especially those served by pipes that run along exterior walls.
• Open cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around pipes under sinks.
• Keep your thermostat set to at least 55°F, even when away from home.
• Shut off and drain exterior hose bibs and sprinkler lines before freezing temperatures arrive.

What Happens If a Pipe Bursts?

When water freezes inside a pipe, it expands, putting pressure on the pipe from the inside. Eventually, the pipe may rupture. Once temperatures rise and the ice thaws, water can pour out rapidly, damaging floors, walls, furniture, and personal belongings.

The longer a leak goes undetected, the more severe the damage becomes. In some cases, homes have been rendered uninhabitable due to mold and structural damage caused by burst pipes.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Burst Pipes?

Most standard HO-3 homeowners insurance policies do cover sudden and accidental discharge of water from plumbing systems, including burst pipes. However, there are important limitations and exclusions to understand.

Covered:

According to ISO standard HO-3 policy language (Section I – Perils Insured Against), coverage applies for: “Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system…”

Not Covered:

However, exclusions often include: “…repeated or continuous seepage or leakage of water or steam over a period of weeks, months, or years…”

Additionally, coverage may be denied if the homeowner failed to maintain heat in the home. Most policies state: “We do not cover loss caused by freezing of plumbing… unless you have used reasonable care to maintain heat in the building or shut off the water supply and drained the systems.”

This means if you leave your home unoccupied during a vacation without turning off the water or maintaining heat, your claim could be denied.

Also note that the cost to repair the actual pipe is usually not covered. The insurance covers resulting water damage, but not the failed plumbing itself.

Final Thoughts

As winter approaches, take preventive steps seriously. The financial and emotional toll of a burst pipe can be significant, and while insurance is designed to help, it’s not a blanket solution. Understanding your policy, and its limitations, is just as important as prepping your pipes.

If you’re unsure whether your policy includes adequate water damage protection or if you need endorsements like water backup coverage, contact our office for a policy review. A few minutes now could save you thousands later.

Let me know if you'd like a companion blog focused on water backup vs. water discharge, next.