Is damage caused by leakage covered by my contents insurance?

One evening you take a bath to relax completely. When you have come out of the bath and go downstairs you see that there is a leak. The water has just hit your stereo set and one of the speakers is not working. This is very annoying, of course, and now you want to know if your home contents insurance will cover water damage. Most home insurance policies pay for damage caused by leakage. However, there are conditions attached to the payment.

What does contents insurance cover?

With contents insurance, you are only insured for all movable items. These are items within the house that are moveable such as your bed, TV and sofa. Depending on the type of coverage you are insured up to a maximum amount. You can use the contents value meter to calculate how much your belongings are worth and what coverage you need.

Insurers cover damage caused by unforeseen circumstances. So the leakage must be unforeseen. Using the example with the bathtub, it must have been in good condition. Thus, with overdue maintenance, you cannot claim damage from leaks from your insurer. Another example: suppose it has rained so hard that the gutter can no longer hold and the water smashes through the roof. Then the insurer will insure this damage because it is unforeseen.