What if a leak from my flat goes through to the downstairs flat?

Snakey

It hasn't happened, but I'm working through a list of Things I Should Have Sorted Out 18 Months Ago When I Moved In, and contents insurance was on that list.

Basically, I have very little in the way of stuff - at least, nothing that's valuable to anybody except me. So I've never bothered with contents insurance.

However, now that I'm a homeowner and not a tenant, I have a concern that if something from my flat causes damage to another flat - for instance say my radiator leaked or a pipe burst and it went through to downstairs - I might be on the hook for replacing all their ruined stuff, and that could get pricey.

But first I need to make sure that it would actually be me who'd be on the hook. If not, then I'd be throwing money away.

I've looked on the internet and it's unclear... there are hints that both parties would claim for their own damage on their own insurance, but I can't find anything definitive. Also, I can't tell whether that means only that the two insurance companies sort it out between themselves (claiming from one another behind the scenes or whatever), rather than it being the case that if someone floods you then your own insurance really does pay. So if I didn't have insurance would the other insurer come after me, and if the other person didn't have their own insurance, could they come after me/my insurer?

If anybody's reading who has experience of this or who works in insurance and knows the answer, that would be great!

I'm struggling to see under what other circumstances I could do anything that would cause anybody else damage. All I can think of is water escapes, since I'm on the first floor. Anything structural would be covered by the buildings insurance. But if anyone can think of anything else that might be a risk, please let me know.

Thanks for reading

Quentin

In this scenario, assuming you were not negligent, and the leak was unexpected, then you have no liability for any damage caused to other properties by a leak originating on your premises. The other resident who's property was damaged either claims off their insurance or pays for their own repairs/losses


If someone floods you, then your insurance will cover the damage and deal with pursuing any liable third party.


If there is a liable third party then you can pursue them for your uninsured losses (eg your excess)

Aretnap

Liability for other people's property generally follows from negligence. Negligence means, broadly speaking, failing to take the amount of care which would be expected of a reasonable person. If there's no negligence and the incident is the result of pure bad luck then everybody either pays for the damage to their ow property, or claims on their own insurance (if they have any). However if the incident is the result of one person's negligence then that person can in principle be required to pay for the damage - and if he has liability insurance his insurance company will pay for him.

So if a water pipe in your flat burst and flooded the flat downstairs you would not be liable simply because it was your pipe. However if it was obvious (to a non-expert) that the pipe was in poor condition and at risk of bursting and you didn't repair it promptly that *might* amount to negligence and you might potentially be held liable. Or if you carelessly left a tap running and it flooded the flat downstairs there is some risk that you could be held liable for the damage to your neighbour's flat. Having insurance would mean that you were protected against that risk.

The other obvious thing you could do which could cause significant damage to someone else's property would be to cause a fire. Again for you to be liable for the damage it would have to involve some negligence on your part, rather than being the result of, say, an unforeseeable electrical fault.

Snakey

Thanks guys - that makes sense. So as long as I don't let the place disintegrate around me (or fall drunkenly asleep while running a bath/frying bacon), I should be OK.

That's saved me a few quid!

agrinnall

I don't think water damage to another property would be covered by your contents insurance anyway (the clue is in the name, it's your contents that are covered), I believe it would come under the buildings cover.

rs65

agrinnall wrote: »

I don't think water damage to another property would be covered by your contents insurance anyway (the clue is in the name, it's your contents that are covered), I believe it would come under the buildings cover.

Contents insurance usually includes liability cover.

rs65

Snakey wrote: »

nothing that's valuable to anybody except me.

So it is valuable to you.


What if you had a fire and were left with nothing? Contents insurance is quite cheap for peace of mind.

Snakey

Fair comment, what I'm thinking of is when I was about eighteen and looked into it to find that it excluded my record collection, my books, my clothes, cash, and the first £100 of anything else. So I was sitting there thinking... erm... so for just forty quid per year I can insure... my hairdryer, duvet, cheap stereo, and shoes? Minus a hundred quid - so I'd probably get about £40 if all of those things were ruined at the same time (it was a very cheap stereo)?

I suppose that's stayed with me over the years, that original decision that I might as well put the money I'd spend on insurance in a savings account and just replace things if needed. I'm ahead of the game so far, since that was 25 years ago and all I've ever had stolen during break-ins is small amounts of cash.

I suppose the other risk would be if a visitor slipped getting out of the bath and broke their neck. Not that I have many people visiting my bath, but you know. Perhaps liability cover would be nice to have, for the peace of mind as you say.