Glossary

Neglect

Failure to use all reasonable means to save and protect property at and after the time of a loss, which the policy excludes to the extent the damage grows.

Also called: neglect exclusion, failure to protect property

In a homeowners policy, neglect has a specific meaning. The ISO form defines it as neglect of an insured to use all reasonable means to save and preserve property at and after the time of a loss. It is a Section I exclusion, and it concerns your conduct during and after an event, not how well you maintained the house beforehand.

That distinction trips people up. Letting a roof age or ignoring a dripping pipe is a maintenance problem, which the policy handles through exclusions for wear and tear, deterioration and faulty maintenance. Neglect is what comes next: a tree punches a hole in the roof and the owner leaves it open through two weeks of rain. The storm damage is covered, but the later water damage may be denied.

Say a pipe bursts while you are home and you let it run for a day without shutting off the supply or calling anyone (hypothetical). The insurer may refuse to pay for the extra damage quick action would have prevented.

The practical defense is to make temporary repairs, document them and tell the insurer promptly, since reasonable repairs are reimbursable. You are not expected to enter an unsafe building. The guide reasonable repairs: what you can fix before the adjuster comes shows what to do first.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Reasonable repairs Coverage for the cost of temporary steps you take to stop covered damage from getting worse, such as tarping a roof or boarding up a broken window. Duties after loss The steps a homeowners policy requires after damage occurs: reporting it, protecting the property, documenting the loss and cooperating with the insurer. Mitigation of damages Your duty to take reasonable steps after a loss, such as tarping a roof or shutting off water, to keep damage from spreading; the policy usually pays for it. Wear and tear The slow breakdown of materials from age, weather and ordinary use, which homeowners policies exclude because insurance pays for sudden loss, not upkeep. Exclusion A policy provision that removes coverage for a stated cause, type of loss, property or circumstance that the coverage would otherwise reach.

Related guides

Burst and frozen pipes: what's covered A burst pipe is usually covered if you kept the heat on or drained the system. What reasonable care means, how vacancy affects a claim, and the first hour. Home maintenance that keeps you insurable Which maintenance items insurers check, how neglect and wear and tear exclusions play out in a claim, and a yearly schedule that protects the house and policy. Is a roof leak covered by homeowners insurance? A roof leak is covered when a storm, hail or a falling tree opened the roof; a leak from age, wear or neglect usually is not. What decides it. Septic systems, wells and underground pipes Policies cover septic tanks, wells and buried lines for fire or a falling tree, not for age, clogs, sewage backup or contamination. What to check. Sudden vs gradual water damage: where insurers draw the line Why a burst pipe is usually covered and a months-long drip often is not, what the 14-day seepage clause says, and how timing evidence decides slow-leak claims. Termites, pests, wear and tear: the maintenance exclusions Policies treat termites, rodents, rot and aging as maintenance. What the HO-3 excludes, and the resulting damage that can still be covered.