Updated: November 2023

One of our recent customers called us saying that whenever she walked barefoot in her kitchen, the floor felt hot like lava,even in the middle of winter. We asked her if she’d seen any sudden spikes in her water bill, and when she said “yep” we knew that the likely culprit was a slab leak. We came out to inspect her slab and sure enough, the source of the leak was in the foundation. Her first concern (after finding the leak) was, “How am I going to pay for this? How do I know if I have slab leak insurance coverage?” – which, as you can imagine, is most people’s first thought. We’ll go ahead and address this question head-on below.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Slab Leak Repair?

There’s honestly no other question we get asked more often when dealing with slab leaks: will my homeowner’s insurance cover slab leak repair? The truth is that slab leak insurance coverage depends on the specifics of your plan. There are many horror stories out there of someone paying a plumber to repair their slab leak, only to find that insurance denies their claim and won’t cover any of the cost.

It’s important to check with your insurance company before starting any repairs – or to find a plumber that will talk with your insurance company directly to eliminate some of the headaches. When in doubt, read your homeowner’s insurance policy (or have a lawyer go over it with you to decipher any technical jargon).

Some workaround fixes can solve the problem without digging up the slab and replacing it. One option is to reroute the water line, which is likely cheaper and less invasive of a procedure than repairing the slab leak itself. Talk to your insurance company before having this done to avoid any surprises when it comes time to pay your plumber.

What About Slab Leak Detection?

Even if your insurance company won’t cover slab leak repairs, most will still cover the costs associated with detecting and locating the slab leak. In this case, they’ll likely cover the costs associated with repairing any water damage to flooring and drywall caused by the leak. As far as fixing the slab itself, your homeowner’s insurance might not cover foundation repairs. The good news is, you’ll still get some assistance in fixing the reciprocal damages caused by the slab leak.

What’s Your Experience with Slab Leak Insurance Coverage?

If you’ve had a good (or bad) experience with slab leak insurance coverage, we’d like to hear from you. Share your story in the comments below.

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