How to insure an apartment against a leak

C

Calico

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Hi All,

I have a top floor apartment and got a scare recently when the apartment below me said they had a leak.

As it turned out, it was not coming from my apartment.

In the course of establishing this, I found my management company to be quite threatening.

They suggested I could be on the hook for a huge bill if, for example, my shower was leaking.

It got me thinking of what would happen if there was some sort of leak from the internal piping, or if my water tank burst etc.

I understand there is a block policy and I am responsible for my own contents which I can insure.

However, is there any way to insure against these sorts of leaks and/or being taken to court by either the management company or a neighbour?
 
Your contents policy should include liability cover for such events. Check the details of your current cover, you likely already have it.

The management company are correct though, you are liable for damage caused by leaks emanating from within your apartment. There are previous threads on this topic here, here, here, and more too if you use the search facility or via Google with the 'site:askaboutmoney.com' parameter.
 
Is it as clear cut as the owner is liable for all leaks from their apartment?
There will be pipes in walls and under floors that the owner will have no access to. I understood this was the reason the insurance excess for claims due to escape of water is so high on block policies.
 
Perhaps your contents policy might cover this eventuality. These can be bought for about €80 per year from Allianz
 
Not sure about the advice above but fairly sure if you take out contents insurance it will only insure your contents and not the contents of other properties. Also, contents insurance will never cover the escape of water itself (to find the leak and repair). It's not relevant here unless you're claiming for your own contents. The contents is defined as anything not attached to the building itself, or can't be easily removed, or is part of fixtures and fittings.

The significant cost in the escape of water will be replacing the parts of the building which have been affected by water. So if water has got in behind the plasterboard, tiles, laminate flooring, all this will need to be replaced. Worse cast scenario this could result in a bathroom, kitchen, flooring, plasterboard etc. needing completely refurbished. It may seem absorb but if water gets in behind the tiles, walls or flooring in a bathroom or kitchen it may result in all the units requiring replacing, or at least taken out and put aside whilst the repairs are made and put back in.

The good news is that unless the leak was due to your negligence you're not liable. If it was an accidental leak that couldn't have reasonably been prevented then all of the above comes under buildings insurance (definitely not contents) and will be part of your block insurance policy.

You should ensure you get the leak repaired and accessed and confirm the cause. Get it in writing from a plumber or the relevant tradesman. If anyone from the block management company contact you about it, be open and state that you had an accidental leak and the block insurance should cover it. They obviously don't want you to do this as it will increase the block insurance policy cost, and therefore the management fees for everyone.

If you want some certainty before taking a position request a copy of the block insurance policy. Your management fees partly go towards this so there's no reason why you shouldn't see this. Just asking for this may make the management company less threatening.

But unless you've left the bath running or knowingly let a faulty washing machine run, then I don't think you have much to worry about.
 
Thanks for that reply Rob. That's reassuring. I would be the opposite of negligent but these sorts of things happen and I couldn't find any way to insure against it. Thankfully there was no issue on this occasion but I was shocked by how threatening the management company was.
 
Bear in mind that you will most likely be liable for the excess on the buildings policy. In our complex it varies depending on the situation, but it could be up to €2500 for water escape.

As soon as I became aware of this, I added excess cover to my contents insurance. I think it costs me €30-40 per year, but I'm not sure.
 
robmccann said:
Not sure about the advice above but fairly sure if you take out contents insurance it will only insure your contents and not the contents of other properties.
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Is there a contents policy marketed here that does not include public liability cover?

As per some of the previous threads on this matter, I know people who have suffered water damage originating in apartments above them. In all cases, they were reimbursed by the apartment owner's insurance, nothing to do with the block insurance. The block insurance will cover leaks in the pipework feeding into the apartment, not in any of your fixtures or fittings.
 
Leo said:
Is there a contents policy marketed here that does not include public liability cover?

As per some of the previous threads on this matter, I know people who have suffered water damage originating in apartments above them. In all cases, they were reimbursed by the apartment owner's insurance, nothing to do with the block insurance. The block insurance will cover leaks in the pipework feeding into the apartment, not in any of your fixtures or fittings.
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My apartment contents policy does indeed (terms listed below):

Liability to Others
Cover against all sums for which you become legally liable to pay up to a limit of €3,000,000.
- As owner/occupier of the property.
- In a personal capacity for you and members of your householdshould you become legally responsible for injuries to a member of the public or accidental damage to their property.
- As an employer for domestic employees while in your employment inconnection with the Premises.
 
Flybytheseat, are you sure that your wording isn't from a home building and contents insurance policy combined?
 
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