Fish tank seal failed - are we covered?

JimmyTheWig

Yesterday morning we woke up to find the lounge flooded after a seal on the fish tank had failed and most of the water had escaped.

Has obviously caused damage to various items.

Insurance company are saying that this is classified as accidental damage which we don't have on our policy. Is this reasonable of them?

Who decides what is "accidental" and what isn't? Are there guidelines?

lisyloo

Is there a definition or glossary in your policy?

Emmamumof2

My husbands aunt had the same thing. They had the fish tank for well over year so out of warranty and they didnt have accidental cover on home insurance. However, home insurance were very useful is taking the case up with the Fish Tank manufacturers for the damage inc carpet shrinkage etc - not sure what they had in terms of legal cover within their home insurance plan but I know a lot of home insurers include some element of legal cover free within the plan - did you mention this to your home insurer?

lisyloo

How old is the fish tank.
If it is quite old then you might not have a case, especailly if the manufacturers specify timescales for the life of seals (sorry I have no clue about tanks or seals but I do know they won't automatically be liable).

JimmyTheWig

Don't have the paperwork with me, but yes there certainly is some sort of definitions/glossary. Can't imagine it goes to the detail of fish tank seals, though, would it??

The tank was about 4 years old.
Don't know if we've got legal cover or not. Can't imagine it's worth the hassle of going after the manufacturers, though.

Does anyone have a rough guide of what is "accidental" and what is "non-accidental"?

Emmamumof2

You would be better looking for your insurers definition of accidental -

Quentin

If the policy doesn't define "accidental damage" then it is taken to mean when the damage done is unexpected and unintended.

JimmyTheWig

Oh I see... look up "accidental damage" in the policy glossary rather than look up "fish tank seals failing".

Does that vary significantly from insurer to insurer, then?
Wouldn't "unexpected and unintended" cover all damage (other than deliberate! - which obviously wouldn't have been covered). I can't see how you'd claim for anything...

[I'm sure this is all basic stuff, but I've never had to claim on insurance before. For me it's just something that you pay year after year.]

mikey72

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Oh I see... look up "accidental damage" in the policy glossary rather than look up "fish tank seals failing".

Does that vary significantly from insurer to insurer, then?
Wouldn't "unexpected and unintended" cover all damage (other than deliberate! - which obviously wouldn't have been covered). I can't see how you'd claim for anything...

[I'm sure this is all basic stuff, but I've never had to claim on insurance before. For me it's just something that you pay year after year.]

My house and contents (with swinton) both include damage as a normal risk, (not under accidental damage)

Water escaping from any fixed domestic water or heating
installation, washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer or
fixed fish tank

JimmyTheWig

Ooh, that's positive Mike. Thanks.
I guess the answer is for me to look at the paperwork...

Quentin

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Wouldn't "unexpected and unintended" cover all damage (other than deliberate! - which obviously wouldn't have been covered). I can't see how you'd claim for anything...

Were you covered for accidental damage, then you would be able to claim (using that definition).

Damage caused by water leaking is usually defined, to distinguish it from accidental damage.

Something along the lines of "damage to contents caused by escape of water from fixed heating installations etc, washing machines, dishwashers .......etc"

So if fishtanks isn't listed there, you would need accidental damage cover to be in place to claim for the damage done by the leak.