Winter Protection: Water leaks
At Brownhill Insurance Group, we’re not just about protecting you after the storm; we’re about helping you avoid it altogether. Our commitment to your peace of mind extends beyond claims, which is why we’ve crafted this guide to help you stop a loss before it happens.
Claims can be stressful, disruptive, and emotional. We want to make sure you have the knowledge and tools to safeguard your lifestyle, business, and loved ones.
Claims can be stressful, disruptive, and emotional. We want to make sure you have the knowledge and tools to safeguard your lifestyle, business, and loved ones.
Protecting property from water damage:
Every year insurance companies pay out a significant amount in escape of water claims in commercial properties. What’s more, the impact of water leaks extends beyond the damage to physical assets like buildings, fixtures, furnishings, equipment and IT systems. From a commercial perspective, the effects are also likely to lead to further costs such as interruption to your business, supply chain and profitability, as well as increased future insurance costs.
Understanding and assessing your exposure to water, fluid leak and damage, and implementing an effective risk management approach to help reduce this risk, could be just as important as a fire risk assessment – in terms of an organisation’s capacity to operate both successfully and profitably.
Particularly susceptible properties:
• Commercial properties with sensitive areas such as IT suites and server rooms
• Hotels, residential flats, student accommodation and shared houses (HMOs)
• Unoccupied or intermittently occupied properties
• Older properties or those with older pipework
Understanding and assessing your exposure to water, fluid leak and damage, and implementing an effective risk management approach to help reduce this risk, could be just as important as a fire risk assessment – in terms of an organisation’s capacity to operate both successfully and profitably.
Particularly susceptible properties:
• Commercial properties with sensitive areas such as IT suites and server rooms
• Hotels, residential flats, student accommodation and shared houses (HMOs)
• Unoccupied or intermittently occupied properties
• Older properties or those with older pipework
Water damage on construction sites:
Water damage on a construction site are the highest frequency reported incidents.*
A water or fluid leak near to completion of a construction or fit-out project can be catastrophic, resulting in significant disruption and delays, and spiralling costs.
To guard against this, the Principal Contractor should take ultimate responsibility for managing the exposure to water damage from the outset of a project, having control over many of the factors that could prevent a water loss incident, such as:
• selection of sub-contractors
• design and installation of a risk-assessed plumbing system
• using contract terms that specify the standards for installation works
• emergency response plan
• commissioning procedures and controls for mitigating risks, system testing and quality controls throughout the project
• consideration of appropriate leak detection systems at design stage. By implementing robust control measures, delays and associated costs could be minimised.Installation of automatic shutoff flow monitors can provide an effective low-cost solution during construction. These can remain installed in the occupied property to assist in flow monitoring, benefiting owners, operators, contractors and tenants in the long term.* According to 2019-2021 Aviva claims data.
A water or fluid leak near to completion of a construction or fit-out project can be catastrophic, resulting in significant disruption and delays, and spiralling costs.
To guard against this, the Principal Contractor should take ultimate responsibility for managing the exposure to water damage from the outset of a project, having control over many of the factors that could prevent a water loss incident, such as:
• selection of sub-contractors
• design and installation of a risk-assessed plumbing system
• using contract terms that specify the standards for installation works
• emergency response plan
• commissioning procedures and controls for mitigating risks, system testing and quality controls throughout the project
• consideration of appropriate leak detection systems at design stage. By implementing robust control measures, delays and associated costs could be minimised.Installation of automatic shutoff flow monitors can provide an effective low-cost solution during construction. These can remain installed in the occupied property to assist in flow monitoring, benefiting owners, operators, contractors and tenants in the long term.* According to 2019-2021 Aviva claims data.
Early leak detection
It’s not always large burst pipes that cause problems; many leaks are small and can often go months without being noticed, causing significant damage to properties before they are identified.
Our panel of insurance providers can provide leak detection services appropriate to your needs through their panel of expert Specialist Partners, at preferential rates. They can offer a range of solutions that can be tailored to protect and mitigate a property against water damage and the problems caused if a leak does occur.
Our panel of insurance providers can provide leak detection services appropriate to your needs through their panel of expert Specialist Partners, at preferential rates. They can offer a range of solutions that can be tailored to protect and mitigate a property against water damage and the problems caused if a leak does occur.
Protected against risk
Risk is a factor in every organisation. The form it takes varies from sector to sector and business to business, but it’s a constant that demands serious consideration.
Our team can work alongside you to understand, analyse and help to minimise the threats and exposures that arise in any business, and can put into action sensible measures to control them.
Our team can work alongside you to understand, analyse and help to minimise the threats and exposures that arise in any business, and can put into action sensible measures to control them.
Brownhill’s Recommendations
Water leaks cause untold damage and disruption are a highest frequency property claim. So knowing what to do in the event of a water leak can ensure you are prepared and can help mitigate the damage. Even better, carrying out simple checks, ensuring good accessibility to your plumbing and isolation points, being proactive with your maintenance and understanding available leak detection technology, can help prevent incidents altogether.
Such proven mitigation measures are more necessary than ever before. We at Brownhill Insurance Group can help you take the necessary steps to prevent and minimise the impact of water damage incidents. Together we can turn the tide of rising water claims.
