Geyser bursts, and why so many claims are declined

The distinction that decides the claim

Insurance covers events that are sudden and unforeseen. It does not cover deterioration, and it never has. A geyser that fails suddenly, splitting its inner cylinder and releasing its contents into your ceiling, is exactly the sort of sudden event a policy exists for. A geyser that has been slowly corroding, weeping at a fitting and staining the ceiling for eighteen months is a maintenance problem that you were expected to attend to.

The frustrating part is that both end with water in your ceiling. What separates them is the evidence the assessor finds, and that is why this is worth understanding before it happens rather than afterwards.

What is normally covered

• The geyser itself, when it bursts
• Water damage to ceilings, carpets, walls and contents caused by the burst
• The cost of the emergency plumber and the replacement installation
• In many policies, the element, thermostat and drip tray as part of the repair

What is normally not covered

• Gradual leaks, seepage and corrosion, however much damage they eventually cause
• A geyser that failed because it was never serviced or was incorrectly installed
• Rust and general wear on an old unit that has simply reached the end of its life
• Damage where the property was unoccupied beyond the period the policy allows
• Consequential mould where it results from a leak you knew about

Five things that protect your claim

1. Deal with small leaks immediately. The moment you see a damp patch on a ceiling below a geyser, get a plumber. A repaired leak costs you a call-out. An ignored one can cost you the entire claim, because the insurer will argue, correctly, that you failed to prevent foreseeable damage.

2. Know your geyser’s age. Most electric geysers in South Africa last somewhere between eight and fifteen years depending on water quality and pressure. If yours is older than that, it is not a question of whether it will fail.

3. Keep the safety valves working. A correctly functioning pressure control valve and temperature and pressure safety valve are what stop a geyser becoming a pressure vessel. If yours is discharging constantly, that is a fault, not a quirk.

4. Use the insurer’s approved plumber. Nearly every household policy in this country requires you to phone the insurer’s emergency line first so that they appoint the plumber. Appointing your own and claiming afterwards is the second most common reason these claims are reduced or refused. Turn off the water and the geyser isolator, then phone.

5. Photograph everything before it is removed. The old geyser, the serial plate, the ceiling, the damaged contents. Once the plumber has taken the unit away, your evidence has gone with it.

What to do in the first ten minutes

1. Switch off the geyser at the distribution board isolator.
2. Close the main water stopcock.
3. Move furniture and electronics out from under the affected ceiling.
4. Photograph the scene widely, then in close-up.
5. Phone your insurer’s emergency number, or phone us and we will do it.

Do not start pulling down ceiling boards or replacing anything until the insurer has had the chance to assess. Preventing further damage is your duty. Beginning the repairs is not.