Does home insurance cover broken pipes under slab?

Homeowners insurance will often cover repairs to your slab if the cause of damage is a burst water line or another covered peril, but it typically won’t pay to repair the broken pipes that caused the damage.

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Pat HowardManaging Editor & Licensed Home Insurance ExpertPat Howard is a licensed insurance expert and managing editor at Policygenius. Pat has written extensively about the home insurance industry and his insights as a subject matter expert have appeared in several top tier publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Reuters. Pat has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.&Rachael BrennanSenior Editor & Licensed Auto Insurance ExpertRachael Brennan is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.

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Your homeowners insurance can help cover the cost of foundation issues — including slab cracks and leaks — if the cause of the damage is something covered by your policy like a pipe burst or an explosion. While homeowners insurance will likely cover the cost of removing the slab and replacing it, it generally won’t pay to fix the broken pipes.

If your slab is damaged because of age, normal wear and tear, or something gradual like a plumbing leak or tree root pressure, homeowners insurance likely won’t cover the cost of repairs to your slab or plumbing.

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Key takeaways

  • Homeowners insurance provides coverage for the structure of your home, including its slab and other parts of the foundation.

  • If your slab cracks due to a covered hazard, like a pipe burst, homeowners insurance will likely cover the cost of tearing out and pouring new slab, but pipe repairs will likely not be covered.

  • Slab and plumbing issues resulting from age or normal wear and tear are not covered by home insurance.

What is a slab leak?

A slab leak refers to a leak in the plumbing beneath your home’s slab, which is the concrete foundation on which the rest of your house is built. In houses where the water lines are embedded within concrete slab, plumbing leaks often go undetected. This can lead to unusually high water bills, musty odors throughout your home, low water pressure, and foundation cracks to your floors and walls — to name a few.

Does homeowners insurance cover slab leaks?

Your homeowners insurance will help pay for slab replacement or repairs if the leak was caused by a covered peril. In other words, if your slab cracks due to a burst pipe, explosion, or some other covered disaster, the dwelling coverage portion of your policy would cover the cost of slab or water damage repairs. 

When are slab leaks covered by homeowners insurance?

Here are some of the most common causes of slab cracks and leaks that are covered by homeowners insurance.

  • Burst pipes

  • Explosions

  • Tornadoes

  • Fire

  • Fallen trees

  • Collapse due to the weight of snow, ice, rain, or sleet

  • Frozen plumbing (only if you maintained heat in the home)

  • Sudden cracking of a hot water heating system (like a water heater)

  • Vandalism

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When are slab leaks not covered by homeowners insurance?

Some of the most common causes of slab cracks and leaks happen gradually, like the natural shifting of the ground. Unfortunately, natural settling and wear and tear are not covered by homeowners insurance. 

Here are some causes of slab cracks and leaks that are typically not covered by homeowners insurance.

  • Natural settling, shrinking, bulging, expansion, and cracking of the foundation

  • Wear and tear, marring, deterioration

  • Earthquakes

  • Flooding

  • Tree root pressure

  • Sinkholes

  • Rodents, insects, and vermin

  • Faulty design or construction

Can pipes burst under slab?

Yes, pipes can burst under your home’s slab. When a pipe bursts you likely won’t notice it right away, which means your home could be damaged by the leaking water, so it is important to watch for signs of a burst pipe under your foundation.

Does homeowners insurance cover plumbing breaks under slab?

Though homeowners insurance covers slab leaks and water damage caused by burst pipes, it typically won’t cover the cost to fix the broken pipes. If your pipes are broken but there isn’t any actual damage to your slab, you’ll likely have to pay the cost of any repairs out of pocket.

Genius tip

It is a good idea to have your slab inspected every couple of years by a foundation contractor. They may be able to spot issues and warning signs that you’ve missed to help keep damage to a minimum.

How to tell if you have a slab leak

Here are a few signs your home has a slab leak:

  • Cracks in the slab

  • Higher water bills than usual

  • Damp spots on the floor or carpet

  • The smell of mold or mildew

  • Warm areas of the floor

  • Low water pressure

  • The sound of water running

If you notice any of these signs or you have another reason to believe you might have a slab leak, reach out to a licensed plumber to diagnose any problems.

How much does it cost to repair a slab leak?

Detecting a slab leak costs around $280, with an average range of $150 to $600. The national average cost to repair a slab leak is $2,300, according to 2024 cost data from Home Advisor. [1]

Keep in mind that you’ll be expected to pay your deductible if you file a claim, so if the damage to your slab is only slightly more than your policy deductible, you may want to pay for the damages out of pocket. Claims related to water damage and foundation issues tend to result in higher rates, so be sure to weigh the pros and cons prior to going ahead with the claim.

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References

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Policygenius uses external sources, including government data, industry studies, and reputable news organizations to supplement proprietary marketplace data and internal expertise. Learn more about how we use and vet external sources as part of oureditorial standards.

  1. Home Advisor

    . "

    How Much Does Slab Leak Repair Cost?

    ." Accessed July 12, 2022.

Authors

Pat Howard is a licensed insurance expert and managing editor at Policygenius. Pat has written extensively about the home insurance industry and his insights as a subject matter expert have appeared in several top tier publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Reuters. Pat has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.

Rachael Brennan is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.

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