Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Broken Gas Line?

Will your homeowners insurance cover your gas leak? The short answer is, it depends. When determining whether or not your insurance plan will cover a broken gas line, there are a few factors that must be considered. Thankfully, most plans cover damages should an explosion occur, but the terms regarding whether or not a damaged line is eligible for coverage require a bit more nuance to determine. 

The most important factor to whether or not the damage to your line is covered lies in the circumstances of the break. Many insurance plans cover a myriad of problems, including those caused by natural disasters. This being said, it’s important to look through the fine print of your coverage plan to ensure you are aware of which natural disasters are covered, and which are not. This list will vary depending on the plan. For example, your homeowners insurance may include gas line damage done by flooding in it’s plan, but does not cover gas line damage caused by a tornado. Every plan has its own caveat.

Outside of explosions and natural disasters, the most important thing to consider when determining if your broken gas line is covered by your insurance is whether or not the problem was caused by user error or negligence. A good question to ask yourself when determining if you qualify for assistance is if you are at fault for the break in question. Have you failed to maintain the line? If a break happens due to a neglected appliance, chances are you will be exempt from coverage. An improperly installed appliance that ended up cracking a gas line, or failure to keep your appliances up to date will usually result in your expenses not being covered by homeowners insurance. An undetected gas leak slowly causing damage to surrounding appliances may also be exempt. To make certain you are covered, it is important that you check your gas lines annually either by a professional or by yourself.  It may cost you a bit to maintain the proper care for gas lines, but keeping your pipes up to date will save you in the long run by making certain that your insurance will cover you should a catastrophe happen.

Whether it be an annual check up, or help with a busted line, it is always a good idea to contact a professional for any work done on something as crucial as a gas line. Gas leaks are no light matter, and not something you should ever patch on your own. Neglected gas pipes can lead to deadly situations should the gas leak cause an explosion. It’s important for your own safety that you treat gas leaks and pipe maintenance with the care it requires. If you suspect you may be dealing with a gas leak, act immediately and call for professional help. In this case, it is much better to be safe than sorry.

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