Guides
Washing machine, water heater and dishwasher leaks
A sudden appliance leak is usually covered for the water damage and tear-out, but not for the failed appliance. Where slow leaks, drains and wear change that.
When a washing machine hose bursts, a water heater tank splits or a dishwasher line lets go, a standard homeowners policy normally pays for the resulting water damage to your house and belongings, including the cost of opening walls or floors to reach the leak. It does not pay to replace the appliance or the pipe that failed. And it often pays much less, or nothing, if the leak was slow, the appliance was worn out, or the water came up a drain instead of out of the machine.
This guide describes the ISO HO-3 (form HO 00 03 05 11) as the baseline. Your own insurer's form and endorsements control, and the details below are where company forms differ most.
What the HO-3 covers when an appliance leaks
For the dwelling (Coverage A) and other structures (Coverage B), the HO-3 insures against direct physical loss unless something excludes it. Two of the exclusions matter here. The first is wear and tear, rust, corrosion and mechanical breakdown. The second is water that backs up through sewers or drains. The form then writes an exception back into the first one: unless the loss is otherwise excluded, it covers damage resulting from "accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam" from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or fire sprinkler system, or a household appliance, on your property. The exception includes the cost to tear out and replace part of the building, "but only when necessary to repair the system or appliance." The form also says: "We do not cover loss to the system or appliance from which this water or steam escaped" (ISO HO 00 03 05 11, Maine Bureau of Insurance copy).
For your belongings (Coverage C) the same idea appears as a named peril, "accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam," with the same carve-out for the appliance itself and for freezing.
That produces a predictable split on almost every appliance claim:
- Paid: the flooring, drywall, insulation, cabinets and ceilings the water damaged; the tear-out to find and fix the leak; damaged furniture and clothing; and emergency drying.
- Not paid: the failed hose, valve or supply line; the washing machine, dishwasher or water heater; and the plumber's labor to repair or replace the failed part itself.
Water damage is a frequent claim. According to the Insurance Information Institute, citing ISO data, water damage and freezing produced 1.50 claims per 100 house-years from 2019 through 2023, with an average payment of $15,400. In 2023 it accounted for 22.6% of homeowners losses (Triple-I, Facts + Statistics: Homeowners and renters insurance). Those ISO figures exclude Alaska, Texas and Puerto Rico.
Which appliance, which result
| Source | Water damage to the house | The failed item | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washing machine supply hose bursts | Usually covered | Hose and machine not covered | Insurers ask how old the hose was and whether the leak was sudden |
| Water heater tank ruptures or its relief valve discharges | Usually covered | Heater not covered | Rusted-out tank: the flood is covered, the heater is wear and tear |
| Dishwasher supply line or door seal fails | Usually covered if sudden | Dishwasher not covered | Slow leak under the unit for months is the typical denial |
| Refrigerator ice maker line leaks | Usually covered if sudden | Line and refrigerator not covered | Hidden leaks behind the unit and subfloor |
| Washer drain backs up out of the standpipe | Often excluded | Not covered | Water coming up a drain is an excluded "backup" unless you bought water backup coverage |
| Water heater freezes in an unheated space | Depends on heat and reasonable care | Not covered | Freezing has its own conditions; see burst and frozen pipes: what's covered |
The washer-standpipe row is a real gray area. If the machine pumps out more water than a clogged drain can take and water spills over the standpipe, some adjusters call it a backup and some call it an overflow from an appliance. Your wording and your state's rules will decide it. If you have sewer or drain backup coverage, say so when you report the claim.
Sudden versus slow
The gap between a covered and an uncovered appliance claim is usually time. A hose that bursts at 2 p.m. and floods a laundry room by 5 p.m. is a "sudden and accidental" discharge. A dishwasher gasket that has seeped into the subfloor for a year is a maintenance problem, and company forms often exclude constant or repeated seepage or leakage. The wording differs. A 2018 Texas Department of Insurance comparison found some Texas companies excluding seepage lasting 14 or more days and others excluding it over "weeks, months, or years" (TDI, Texas Homeowners Policies). The ISO 2011 text does not contain that specific wording, but its exclusions for wear and tear, deterioration, rust and corrosion, and faulty maintenance can do the same work. Insurers also look for evidence of long-term damage: rot, staining, mold, rusted fasteners. sudden vs gradual water damage: where insurers draw the line covers where the line falls and how policyholders push back, and does homeowners insurance cover mold? covers what happens when a slow leak leaves mold behind.
Hidden leaks put the burden on documentation. When a water heater is replaced or a floor is pulled up, photograph the failure point and keep the failed part. A plumber's written statement of cause ("supply hose burst at the coupling") is the single most useful piece of paper in a dispute over whether the loss was sudden.
A hypothetical example
Say the braided supply hose on a second-floor washing machine splits while you are at work. Water runs for about six hours before you get home.
- Ceilings and drywall in two rooms below, flooring, and part of a kitchen cabinet run: $22,000.
- Water extraction and drying: $3,500.
- Replacing the burst hose and the plumber's visit: $350.
- Your deductible is $1,500.
The insurer treats the damage and drying ($25,500) as a covered accidental discharge. It does not pay the $350 for the hose and the plumber. With the deductible applied once, the payment is $24,000 for the building, subject to the usual replacement cost and depreciation terms in your policy. Damaged contents are settled separately and often at actual cash value unless you have replacement cost on contents. If a payment is held back for depreciation, recoverable depreciation: getting the rest of your claim shows how to collect it.
What to do, in order
- Shut off the water. Close the valve at the appliance, then the main shutoff if the source is not obvious. Turn off power to wet areas if you can do it safely.
- Keep the failed part. Put the hose, valve or heater fitting in a bag. The insurer may want it, and a manufacturer or plumber may be responsible, which brings subrogation (below) into play.
- Photograph everything before cleanup. Water lines on walls, the failure point, the appliance label with the model and serial number, and the age of the unit if you know it.
- Report the claim and begin drying. Moisture lingers in drywall and subfloors, and mold can start after 24 to 48 hours, per the EPA. reasonable repairs: what you can fix before the adjuster comes explains what the policy pays for emergency work.
- Get the plumber's cause statement and invoice. Ask it to state when and how the part failed.
- Read any mitigation contract before signing. See water mitigation companies and your claim.
- Decide whether to file. If the damage is near your deductible, weigh the premium and renewal effects first. The Should I file a homeowners claim? lays out the trade-offs.
Subrogation and the appliance claim
When an insurer pays for a flood caused by a defective hose, valve or heater, it may try to recover what it paid from the manufacturer, installer or plumber. That process is called subrogation. It is another reason to keep the failed part and the packaging. If the insurer recovers money, it commonly reimburses your deductible, in whole or in proportion. Do not throw out the evidence or sign a release for a contractor or manufacturer before you talk to the insurer, because doing so can hurt both your claim and its recovery rights.
Your claim history and your next policy
Water claims travel with you. Insurers see them on your CLUE report, and some state rules limit how they can be used. Texas, for instance, bars an insurer from using a properly remediated prior appliance-related claim, inspected and certified by a person knowledgeable in water damage remediation, to set your rate or decide whether to issue, renew or cancel a policy. The protection does not apply to a person with three or more paid appliance-related claims within three years, or to a property with three or more in that period (Tex. Ins. Code 544.353). Most states do not have a rule like that. See Texas for the statute, and will a claim raise your homeowners premium? for how a claim can affect your renewal.
Preventing the next one
The Insurance Information Institute advises inspecting hoses to water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines and refrigerator ice makers every year, replacing any that are cracked or leaking, and replacing them all every five to seven years. It also says never to leave home while the washer or dishwasher is running, and to shut off the washing machine's water supply when you go away (Triple-I, How to protect your home from water damage). Some insurers offer discounts for leak sensors and automatic shutoff valves; ask for yours and read water leak sensors and shutoff valves: discounts and value and water damage prevention: a homeowner's checklist.
Key takeaways
- A sudden appliance leak is generally covered for the water damage and the tear-out needed to fix it, but the appliance and the failed part are not.
- Slow leaks, rust-through and drain backups are where claims are denied; the speed of the leak and its source decide coverage.
- Keep the failed part, photograph the source and get a plumber's written cause before you throw anything away.
- Subrogation may let your insurer recover from a manufacturer, and you may get your deductible back.
- Replace supply hoses on a five-to-seven-year cycle, and never run a washer or dishwasher while you are out.