Water damage from inside the home usually starts one of two ways. Some losses are sudden: a supply line under the sink bursts, a water heater fails, a washing machine hose splits, or the air conditioner drain line backs up and floods a hallway. Others are hidden: a pipe under the slab or inside a wall leaks for weeks, and the first signs are a water bill that doubles, a warm spot on the tile, the sound of running water when every faucet is off, or baseboards that start to swell.
The insurer's questions are predictable. Was the leak sudden or did it continue for a long time? Is the damaged pipe itself covered, or only the water damage it caused? Will the policy pay to tear out the floor or wall to reach the leak? In a condo, who insures what? The answers depend on the policy language and on evidence you can only collect early.
1. Stop the water and call a licensed plumber
Shut off the water at the main and turn off power to any wet area. Call a licensed plumber to find and stop the leak. Ask the plumber for a written report stating where the leak was, what failed, and what was done. For a suspected slab leak, a leak detection company can locate the break with pressure testing, acoustic equipment, or thermal imaging. Ask for the written findings and the images. That report is often the most important document in a slab leak claim.
2. Keep the part that failed
Ask the plumber to save the failed pipe section, fitting, supply line, valve, or water heater component, and store it somewhere dry. Photograph it next to a ruler. The insurer may want to inspect it, and its condition can show whether the failure was sudden.
3. Photograph, measure, and start drying
Photograph standing water, wet flooring, stained walls, and damaged cabinets and contents before anything is removed. A water mitigation company can extract water, set drying equipment, and take moisture readings. Ask for the moisture maps, drying logs, and photographs, which show where the water traveled and how wet the materials were. Most policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Keep every invoice.
4. Gather water bills and the timeline
Pull your water bills for the past year. A sudden jump in usage helps fix when the leak began and when you could reasonably have noticed it. Write down, with dates, the first sign of trouble, when you called the plumber, and when you reported the claim. Leak timing often drives the coverage decision.
5. Read the water provisions in your policy
Water damage coverage varies widely. Many policies exclude damage from water that leaks repeatedly or continuously over an extended period. Some include a limited water damage endorsement that caps payment, and some cap or exclude the cost of tearing out and replacing the floor, wall, or slab to reach a leaking pipe. The pipe itself may not be covered even when the resulting damage is. Read the declarations page, the water damage section, and every endorsement before you speak at length with the adjuster.
6. In a condo, sort out who insures what
Condo water losses often involve the association, the unit owner, and sometimes the unit above. Florida's condominium statute generally requires the association's property insurance to exclude personal property within the unit and items such as "floor, wall, and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters," water filters, built-in cabinets and countertops, and window treatments, and states that "Such property and any insurance thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner" (§ 718.111(11)(f)3., Fla. Stat.). Your declaration of condominium may change the details. Notify the association in writing, report the claim to your own insurer, and get the association's claim number if it opens one.
“floor, wall, and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters,”
§ 718.111(11)(f)
7. Do not sign over your claim
For policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, Florida law provides that an attempt to assign post-loss property insurance benefits "is void, invalid, and unenforceable" (§ 627.7152(13)). Pay attention to any mitigation or plumbing contract that asks you to sign over benefits or direct payment.
“is void, invalid, and unenforceable”
§ 627.7152(13)
The Florida rules that matter on a water claim
Notice deadline. A claim is barred unless notice is given to the insurer "within 1 year after the date of loss," and a supplemental claim for additional damage from the same peril within 18 months (§ 627.70132(2)). With a hidden leak, the date of loss can itself become a dispute. Report as soon as you discover the damage.
Insurer timelines. The insurer generally must acknowledge your claim communication within 7 calendar days, begin its investigation within 7 days after receiving proof-of-loss statements, conduct any physical inspection within 30 days, and pay or deny within 60 days after notice of the claim (§ 627.70131(1), (3), (7)). The adjuster who inspects must give you a document "containing his or her name and state adjuster license number" (§ 627.70131(3)(b)). If the insurer asks for material claim information, respond within 10 days; a late response can extend the insurer's time to decide (§ 627.70131(8)(b)).
Explanation and estimate. The insurer must send you a copy of any detailed estimate within 7 days after its adjuster generates it, and must give you "a reasonable explanation in writing" of the policy basis for any payment, denial, or partial denial (§ 627.70131(3)(e), (7)(a)).
One water claim and your renewal. A single claim for water damage "may not be used as the sole cause for cancellation or nonrenewal," unless the insurer can show the insured failed to take reasonably requested steps to prevent a recurrence (§ 627.4133(6)).
Mediation and suit. Personal lines residential policyholders may request free mediation through the Department of Financial Services, paid by the insurer, under § 627.7015. Before any lawsuit, the policyholder must give written notice of intent at least 10 business days before filing (§ 627.70152(3)). The time limit to sue for breach of a property insurance contract is 5 years from the date of loss (§ 95.11(2)(e)).
“within 1 year after the date of loss,”
§ 627.70132(2)
“containing his or her name and state adjuster license number”
§ 627.70131(1)
“a reasonable explanation in writing”
§ 627.70131(3)(e)
“may not be used as the sole cause for cancellation or nonrenewal,”
§ 627.4133(6)
Your checklist
- Shut off the water and get a written report from a licensed plumber or leak detection company.
- Save and photograph the failed pipe, fitting, or appliance part.
- Photograph all damage before removal, and keep mitigation moisture maps and drying logs.
- Pull a year of water bills and write a dated timeline.
- Read the water damage section and endorsements of your policy.
- In a condo, notify the association in writing and report to your own insurer.
- Report the claim promptly and keep a log of every call and email.
How we handle these cases
Water and slab leak claims are won or lost on timing, cause, and policy language. We review the leak detection and plumbing reports, the mitigation records, the water bills, and every endorsement on the policy, and we bring in plumbers, engineers, and independent adjusters where the facts call for it. We represent homeowners and condo owners throughout Florida. Meetings are by appointment only. Call 305-748-3789 to talk about your claim.
This article is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.