My 23 year old water heater in my Carriage house gave out last week and spewed water on the electrical sub panel which is located underneath it in the basement. The water heater replacement cost is a lot but the electrical panel may end up costing more.

Will my homeowners insurance company cover it?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

This is typically covered under most homeowner policies, including the resulting damage to the panel. Keep in mind that there may be a deductible and a depreciation factor on the water heater. The same would apply to water softeners and filter system. The more common exclusion is for sump pump equipment failures and the resulting flooding damage. Coverage for that is usually additional endorsement.

Surely the water heater replacement at age 23 would not be covered would it? (great if it does!)

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

True, the depreciation factor and any exclusions for maintenance items may limit or kill any coverage for the heater, but the resulting damage should be covered and you really would want it for the labor charges, which wouldn't be subject to depreciation.

We use these at work, I'm tempted to install one at home:

http://www.spillcontainment.com/p2-bladder-systems-2-drum-containment


It won't do much if the water keeps coming, but maybe it will do enough?

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

Every water heater should have some form of containment pan and a drain line to handle the average slow leak. In our house, the heater sits off the ground on a box that's basically framed drywall, which apparently is a common practice or code requirement here. We put a 3" high pan under the heater and used pvc to create a drain to the garage floor. I'm not sure what would handle 55 gal from a sudden rupture in a home situation.

About 40 years ago a high class men's store in Houston had a water heater explode. The building was old and the WH was located in a closet on the ground floor. Right next to a rack of $3,000 suits, and that was their cost then.

The stores insurance company paid for all the suits and the WH. The suits were then sold off through an insurance salvage store in Dallas.

Only your Agent will be able to truly answer your questions.

Thanks guys! I should have put a pan under it when installing it but did not think of it until too late. I have contacted my agent and it appears some of it is covered. How much remains to be seen.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

http://www.amazon.com/OnSite-Pro-FS3-4NPT-Auto-Shutoff/dp/B000AQAQUS

You can also get a valve that shuts off the water into the heater if water is detected in the pan.

It should be covered but double check the real cost of the claim, during last years ice storm I filed a small claim that I could have easily covered myself but after a solicitation from my friendly insurer to check in and make sure I knew they were there for me I filed a claim. Almost one year down the road I buy a new house and while shopping for insurance I am getting hit pretty hard for a small claim.

Medmech is right.

The insurance industry now places houses on a 7 year 'black' lists for any claim. (at least in my state)

So even if you sell the house, the new owner gets to pay higher premiums due to the claim.

I have learned that its better to pay out of pocket for small stuff and have a higher deductible ($2500, $5000 e.g.) in order to lower premiums.

They get you down the line. All insurance companies read off the common 'black list' data base.

The minute you phone for a hypothetical inquiry directly to the insurance co., many companies log it as a "claim" even if you do not file or receive payments.

Its better to ask questions to your agent and let them do the leg work anonymously.

yeah it sucks.

its the evolution of the new normal.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Use the name and address of someone you passionately hate and a Google Voice phone #

Good customers with many policies seemed to get preferential treatment sometimes. Many times we have not been pushed to comply with things. This has to be the reason I suspect.

Check with an electrician as well. In my area the whole structure has to be brought up to current electrical code with a panel change. Even though what is present is completely safe. The insurance company will not cover that.

Hopefully a sub panel might not need this. The whole area is so subjective here I would replace a sub panel with no permit in one of our places. The current inspector is really too picky as well. Permit charges locally are getting seriously out of line as well.

I can pretty well fill up an average 200 amp panels breaker slots with a new two or three bedroom house here now just to meet code.

There seems to be no specific additional code requirements for water heaters above the basements here. I put in drip pans with drains anyways. Struck me as strange the last time I checked. They seldom miss much of anything now.

Great comments, all. Thanks very much! I filed a claim on my rental house a couple of years ago but never on my house. I think I have 1000 deductible but am not sure, could be 2000.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I have to wonder if household policies are similar in both our countries. We have a 500 deductible on our personal residence. Majority of ones personal residences have a replacement endorsement on structure and contents at full replacement value. So there is no depreciation or adjustments on anything. If a new stove costs 700.00 you get 700.00 in a bulk claim.

Most of us carry that. The problem being the valuations. Our house has a replacement value of 350k. Yet it's market value is less than half that here easily. The contents are at 250k. Fifty thousand living allowance plus high liability clause as well. This package cost is about a thousand to eleven hundred a year currently. The problem here and perhaps there with not carrying the replacement endorsement is endless argument about depreciated valuations on claims.

If a couple of shingles get blown off the roof for example. They will replace it all with no depreciation for age. Most of us are honest enough that if the roof is getting worn out we do not think insurance.

Still I wonder how many get up there and break a few shingles off after a windstorm. It has to happen.

I have also watched guys burn their way to prosperity. Buy a shack and a insurance policy with the replacement endorsement. Get a new and very expensive house not long after. Then repeat the exercise under some pretext or another. They seem to get away with it as well.

A guy up the road maybe ten years ago brought an old farm. With a large farmhouse you could throw a cat through. Just Impractable to repair.. I suspect he paid maybe 80K. Maybe less. I think the fire was legitimate in nature.

Anyways he got 550K to replace the house and the separate claim for contents I have no ideal of the total amount. What 550k put up with his architect was a loss in itself.

To say the new place is less than esthetic appealing is an understatement but is pretty good technically if not exceptional.

Reminds me of the old story of two older guys meeting again in Florida. One asks the other why they are there. He tells his aquaintence the business burnt. Then the reciprocal question is asked the other guy. He states I had a really bad flood.

A few minutes pass and he then asks him how did you cause a flood?

Incidentally as a disclaimer us weird enough already maritime Canadians do not actually go around throwing cats through houses. I suspect it is just an American originated expression we use regardless of any practices Americans may have.