When temperatures dropped below freezing in McKinney, Steve wasn't particularly worried. He had lived in North Texas long enough to know that winter weather could be unpredictable. He wrapped the outdoor faucets, opened the cabinets under his kitchen sink, and left the heat running.
Then the power went out.
By the next morning, the temperature inside his house had fallen into the 40s. Steve bundled up, checked on his family, and hoped the electricity would return before things got any colder.
Unfortunately, the power stayed off for another day.
When the electricity finally returned and the house started warming up, Steve heard an unfamiliar sound coming from the kitchen. Water was running somewhere, but every faucet was turned off. He opened the cabinet under the sink and found water pouring from a broken supply line. Steve rushed to shut off the water, but the damage was already done. Water had spread beneath the cabinets, soaked the flooring, and reached the adjacent living room.
A restoration company estimated the repairs at more than $25,000.
Steve called his insurance company. He had taken precautions before the freeze, and the damage came from a pipe that suddenly burst. He figured his homeowners insurance would cover the repairs. His policy ended up covering the resulting water damage after he paid the deductible. But when the adjuster explained the settlement, Steve discovered that the broken pipe itself wasn't covered under his particular policy.
That distinction caught him by surprise.
Most Texas homeowners understand that insurance helps pay for damage to their houses. But many don't realize that the damage caused by a broken pipe and the cost of repairing the pipe can be two different insurance questions.
The good news is that most Texas homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for sudden and accidental water damage. That generally includes damage caused by a pipe that freezes, breaks, and releases water into your house. Depending on what type of homeowner’s insurance policy you purchased, many homeowners policies cover damage from frozen and burst pipes. But as with any other insurance issue, limitations apply. The key phrase for this particular scenario is sudden and accidental.
At Steve’s house, the pipe froze, cracked, and released water into the house. The damaged cabinets, flooring, drywall, and other covered property should qualify for payment under his insurance policy. Depending on the circumstances, insurance may also help with the cost of drying out the house, removing damaged materials, and repairing the resulting damage.
But the policy may not pay for every expense connected to the broken pipe.
Some policies distinguish between the plumbing component that failed and the damage caused by the escaping water. Others may cover certain costs to access a damaged pipe.
This is why understanding the specific water coverage in your policy matters.
Here's where things can get complicated. Many Texas homeowners policies require you to take reasonable precautions to prevent frozen pipes.
For example, if you leave your house vacant during the winter, your policy may require you to maintain heat or shut off the water and drain the plumbing system.
Imagine a homeowner who leaves a vacant house in Amarillo for several weeks during January. Before leaving, he turns the heat completely off to save money. A hard freeze moves through the area, the pipes burst, and water damages the house. The insurance company could deny the claim if the homeowner failed to follow the policy's requirements for protecting the plumbing.
Now compare that situation with Steve in McKinney.
Steve kept his heat running and took precautions before the storm. The electricity failed through no fault of his own, leaving him unable to maintain the temperature inside his home.
Those are very different circumstances.
Following the February 2021 Texas winter storm, insurance companies considered the unique circumstances of each claim when determining whether homeowners took reasonable steps to prevent frozen pipes. An unexpected power outage doesn't automatically mean a claim will be covered, but it also shouldn't automatically mean the homeowner failed to protect the property.
The important distinction is whether the homeowner took reasonable precautions and complied with the conditions of the policy.
Not every plumbing problem happens during a winter storm. Sometimes a water line develops a small leak that continues for weeks or months before anyone notices the damage. By the time the homeowner discovers the problem, the cabinets may be rotting, mold may be growing, and the flooring may need replacement.
That's a different situation from a pipe that suddenly bursts during a freeze.
Many Texas home insurance policies exclude damage caused by continuous or repeated leakage and seepage. Some insurance companies offer additional coverage for these types of losses through endorsements, but the amount and conditions of coverage can vary.
A homeowner with additional seepage and leakage protection may have coverage that another homeowner doesn't. And just because a policy covers sudden water damage doesn't mean it also covers long-term moisture damage.
This is another example of why two homeowners insurance policies that appear similar can provide very different protection.
Frozen pipes aren't the only concern when Texas experiences a major winter storm. Ice, snow, and freezing temperatures can damage several parts of a home. But the cause of the damage matters when determining whether insurance applies.
For example, a heavy accumulation of ice or snow may damage a roof. Many home insurance policies cover damage caused by the weight of ice, snow, or sleet, but others do not. You need to know the details of your particular policy.
If ice causes a tree limb to fall onto your house, the resulting damage may also be covered.
Power outages create another concern. Some policies provide limited protection for refrigerated food that spoils because of certain covered power failures. However, the cause of the outage and the coverage provisions determine whether the loss qualifies.
And if a winter storm forces you out of your home while repairs are being completed, your policy may provide additional living expense coverage if the damage resulted from a covered loss.
The important thing to understand is that winter storm damage isn't covered simply because the weather caused it. The insurance company still looks at the cause of loss, exclusions, and coverage limits in your policy.
Nobody wants to deal with frozen pipes, regardless of whether their insurance covers the damage. And while we can't prevent another major Texas winter storm, homeowners can take steps to reduce the chances of a loss.
Start by protecting exposed plumbing in attics, garages, and exterior walls. Make sure you know where your main water shutoff valve is located. If you plan to leave your house for an extended period, understand your policy's requirements for maintaining heat or shutting off and draining the water system.
But there's another step that often gets overlooked.
Review your insurance policy. Find out whether you have sudden and accidental water damage coverage. Ask about exclusions for frozen pipes, vacant homes, and continuous leakage. Understand whether the policy pays for accessing damaged plumbing and what deductible would apply. Those details may not seem important when the weather is nice.
They become a lot more important when you're standing in a kitchen full of water.
Texas homeowners learned some expensive lessons during the February 2021 winter storm. Thousands of homes suffered water damage, and many families discovered just how costly a broken pipe could become.
El Niño may influence our winter weather this year, but nobody knows exactly when the next hard freeze will arrive. What you can do is understand how your home insurance will respond when something goes wrong.
At Insurance For Texans, we believe good home insurance is about more than finding the lowest premium. It's about knowing what you're buying and understanding the coverage before you need it. Through our True Texas Home Insurance program, we help homeowners compare insurance options, understand exclusions, and identify potential gaps that could leave them paying more than expected after a claim.
Don't wait until a frozen pipe floods your house to discover what your insurance won't cover. Click the button below and let us help you find the right protection for your Texas home.