Kitchen ceiling collapsed due slow water leaks from Bathroom - Home insurers refusing to pay to fix

makara

As per the subject, we have had various water leaks from the bathroom (slow ones that sometimes stopped by themselves, then started elsewhere) to the kitchen ceiling below - which eventually partly collapsed.

Not sure if I am allowed to mention the Underwriter / the contractor company they sent to survey things - but the surveyor wrote that as the shower / bath tiles had partly fallen off (due to whoever put the tiles on years ago for us not first smoothing over the brick wall behind the new tiles) - showering water had been getting on to the wall, and over time leaked into the kitchen ceiling and walls.

The way his report was written pretty much seemed to be advising our underwriters to repudiate the claim - which they did.

We have not started repairs yet, and the Underwriter guy who did the initial remote video conference with me was adamant we had to use THEIR contractor (and in effect contractor's surveyor) as opposed to a private builder to assess things.

I kind of get what they are saying - that the small leaks have been going on for a long while - and so I guess in effect they are blaming us for not getting them resolved.

But on the other hand it's not quite the same as say us deliberately (or in rash anger) setting fire to our house, then asking them to pay for the repairs.

So when underwriters rule on this kind of thing, is that it?  Or can we challenge this ruling?

Or should we perhaps talk to our bank, who are the ones who we buy the Home insurance from?   

davidmcn

Which insured risk were you hoping to claim under?

[Deleted User]

makara said:

I kind of get what they are saying - that the small leaks have been going on for a long while - and so I guess in effect they are blaming us for not getting them resolved.

But on the other hand it's not quite the same as say us deliberately (or in rash anger) setting fire to our house, then asking them to pay for the repairs.

That's true, as that would be arson and you can't commit arson with water. 

But lack of maintenance isn't covered under your insurance.

TELLIT01

The OP has acknowledged that there have been leaks (multiple) over a period of time and that they have not fixed them properly if at all.  " we have had various water leaks from the bathroom (slow ones that sometimes stopped by themselves,".  Admitting that doesn't do anything to strengthen their case for any type of appeal against the decision. 

csgohan4

OP have you looked at your T+Cs, almost all don't cover anything which happened over time, even the premium ones like hiscox. Now that you have  declared a claim even though it won't be paid out, will lead to higher premiums in the future potentially and something you must declare when asked

We had a leaking kitchen ceiling due to leaky bathroom about a 1 week after completion, no one's elses fault than mine for not getting the right surveys and checking properly. Certainly didn't go through the insurers due to the T+Cs were quite clear. 

Sandtree

Insurance covers one off events... car crashes into your front wall, storm rips tiles off your roof or you set fire to the frying pan panic and end up burning half your kitchen down.

What you are describing is a maintenance issue and therefore not normally an insurance issue, that said, I have seen some that will cover the ceiling itself if you have Accidental Damage cover but even those will not cover the leaks and will want evidence they have all been fixed before they'd consider fixing the ceiling... the fact you have known about the issue and willfully not done anything about it however will probably exclude any consideration of AD cover.