Cast Iron Pipe Insurance Claims

Are you snaking your cast iron drain pipes once a month? Was your property built before 1975 if so your cast iron pipes may be corroded? These corroded cast iron pipes can cause leaks, flooding, mold, infestations, and water backups.

Cast iron pipes begin to rot when in contact with moisture and bacteria. Cast iron pipes have a life expectancy of 80 to 100 years and decades of moisture have slowly caused holes and cracks on your pipes. Your plumber will need to access the section of the pipe that is rotted and splice a new piece of pipe to solid sections of the cast iron pipe which can be very costly.

Most policies do not require a link between the water that escaped from the system requiring access and the water that damaged the property. In other words, as long as your plumber will write a report indicating that water was escaping the drain line, it will trigger access coverage under the tear-out provision. Also, if a person has been with State Farm since 2016 or earlier, the new language is misleading and resulted in a bad faith verdict.

Identifying Cast Iron Pipe Failure

Property owners who have these pipes in their home or buildings should be aware of how to identify signs that their cast iron pipes are deteriorating.

Identifying these signs early can help prevent catastrophic water damage.

Signs of cast iron pipe failure include:

  • leaking
  • slow drainage
  • blocked drain
  • discolored water
  • water spots
  • sewer or drain backup
  • bad odor
  • mold
  • barnacles
  • insect infestation
  • healthy lawn
  • puddles
  • indents or sagging

Typical Policy Access Coverage Language

However, there is coverage if the loss is sudden and accidental.

5. caused by:
a) termites, vermin, insects, rodents, birds (except glass breakage), skunks, raccoons, spiders, or reptiles;
b) mechanical breakdown, deterioration, wear and tear, marring, inherent vice, latent defect, tree roots, rust, smog; wet or dry rot, mold, fungus or spores;
c) the discharge, disposal, release, or escape of any solid, liquid, gaseous or thermal irritant, pollutant, or contaminant, including smoke, vapors, soot, fumes, acids, alkalis, chemicals, and waste. Waste includes materials to be recycled, reconditioned or reclaimed;
d) smoke, unless the loss is sudden and accidental. Smoke from agricultural smudging or industrial operations is not covered even if the loss is sudden and accidental;
e) bulging, cracking, expansion, settling, or shrinking in ceilings, foundations, floors, patios, decks, pavements, roofs, or walls.

 

If a. through e. cause water damage not otherwise excluded, from a plumbing, heating, air conditioning, or fire protective system, household appliance, waterbed, or aquarium, we cover loss caused by the water. Coverage includes the cost of tearing out and replacing any part of a building necessary to repair the system or appliance. This does not include loss to the defective system or appliance (other than a waterbed or aquarium) from which the water escaped.

Special endorsements to look for or add:

Sewer line protection as part of a service line protection bundle that cover a range of utility lines including:

  • Cable lines
  • Internet lines
  • Electrical wiring
  • Natural gas pipes
  • Propane pipes
  • Sewer pipes

May provide up to $10,000 of coverage while some select bundles extend coverage up to $25,000. Your deductible may apply for each occurrence.

 

Contact Disaster Recovery Adjusters today to identify and diagnose the damages with a sewer camera to help document your claim for a fair settlement!

About Disaster Recovery Adjusters:

We at Disaster Recovery Adjusters will prepare detailed scope and cost estimates to prove the loss to the insurance company, following a disaster. We’re experts in the details and language of insurance policies, as well as filing and adjusting claims.

Disaster Recovery Adjusters use sophisticated software to undergo an independent evaluation of a client's property loss. We aren't just better equipped to estimate the costs incurred from a property loss -- we know exactly how to log and submit initial and supplemental claims for the policyholder.

We have the resources and expertise to help you get the most out of your insurance policy’s coverage. We are licensed professionals who work for individuals and businesses, not insurance companies!