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Homeowner’s Insurance Claims for Frozen or Burst Pipes in Ohio

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Burst Pipe Damage Lawyers Help You Get Money for Repairs

Ohio winters can be brutal. As we reach for sweaters, hats, and scarves, we wonder how our homes will fare in freezing weather.

Freezing temperatures can impact your home’s plumbing with disastrous results. A full pipe freezes, expands and bursts. Then water gets into your walls and rooms, creating untold damage to the house and everything in it.

Typical homeowner’s insurance policies cover water damage from frozen or burst pipes, but they don’t always make it easy for you. Insurance companies will want to know all the details: the extent of damage, condition of your plumbing, steps you took to prevent frozen pipes.

Insurance policies usually have caps on what they will pay for, so you can run into the problem of the cost of your repairs out-paces your coverage.

Likewise, Ohio law requires that your water system be built from approved materials, including copper, stainless steel, ductile iron, and certain plastics. When you don’t have proper plumbing—even if you didn’t know—insurance companies may refuse to help.

When you’re having a tough time with your insurance company—they’re delaying, denying or not awarding the amount that you need—the homeowner’s insurance claim lawyers at Horenstein, Nicholson & Blumenthal (HNB) can help.

We built our reputation on being there for Ohio homeowners going through all sorts of disasters, and we can be there to help you repair your home and return your life to normal.

We’ve helped Ohioans secure millions of dollars in awards and settlements.

At the end of the day, we want you to say, “Helping me, that’s HNB.”

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    Preventing Problems with Insurance Claim for Frozen Pipes

    As a homeowner, you can take steps to ensure you don’t fall victim to frozen and bursting pipes. Prevention is important not only to protect your home and avoid this ordeal—but to ensure that your homeowner’s insurance covers the damage should disaster strike anyway.

    According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, some steps include:

    • Detach garden hoses when the weather turns cold to prevent freezing at the connection. 
    • Insulate or wrap your pipes that are exposed to the elements or were installed on exterior walls of your home.
    • When the thermostat dips below freezing, run a small trickle to keep water moving and stop pipes from freezing.
    • Caulk and weather strip your windows, doors, or any cracks and crevices in your exterior walls where cold creeps in.
    • Keep your HVAC in good working order—in addition to keeping you and your family comfortable, this protects your pipes. 

    If you’ve done everything you can to protect your pipes, your insurance company can’t find as many reasons to deny payment when they freeze and break.

    But if your insurance company gives you trouble, HNB Law helps out.

    Water damage is one of the costliest and most common reasons for homeowner’s insurance claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

    At HNB, we see it all the time. We’ve been helping Ohioans deal with financial losses of many kinds for more than 40 years.

    If you live in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton or anywhere in Ohio, we can help you with your insurance claim for frozen pipes.

    Let’s get your home cleaned up, dried out, and back to where it belongs. We’ll take an initial look at your case for free.

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    How To Handle Water Damage Claims for Frozen or Burst Pipes

    Filing an insurance claim for water damage can be extremely complicated. The insurance company wants to know how it happened and if it could have been prevented.

    Your first action when a pipe bursts is to minimize damage.

    Locate your home’s main water supply valve and shut it off. If the leak appears isolated to a dishwasher or another appliance or fixture, sometimes there are individual stop valves you can turn off. Some valves require a wrench, so keep one handy.

    The next step is to check your homeowner’s insurance policy. Typically, insurance will cover water damage that was sudden or accidental and could not have been prevented.

    You can run into trouble if the insurance company finds a way to show you didn’t properly maintain and care for your plumbing.

    So, as you call your insurance company, file a claim, and schedule an appointment with an adjuster, have a homeowner’s insurance lawyer guide you in answering their questions and providing information.

    Your insurance company also could point you to a water restoration company to help you clean up. Mold and mildew begin growing almost immediately, so get it treated before your home becomes unsafe.

    Documentation is vital to proving your claim. Collect inspection reports, repair or maintenance receipts and other records of plumbing issues.

    Our team at HNB can assist you in building your case for your insurance claim—and going to court if the insurance company simply won’t cooperate with you.

    We know what records you need and can reconstruct what happened to give you the best chance of winning an award or settlement.

    Let’s get your home back in working order so you can weather the winter in comfort and peace.

    Call HNB Today  Call HNB Today