What Home Repairs Are Covered by Insurance? Your Guide to Not Getting Soaked by a Leak

Imagine this: It’s a heavy monsoon night in Mumbai, a fierce storm in Kolkata, or a windy evening in Delhi. You’re safe inside, until you hear it—the dreaded drip…drip…drip. You find a wet patch blooming on your living room ceiling. Panic sets in. The repair will be messy and expensive. But then, a flicker of hope: “Wait, I have home insurance. Will this be covered?”

For millions of Indian homeowners and tenants, this is a moment of profound confusion. We pay our insurance premiums diligently, but when disaster strikes, we’re often unsure what exactly our policy will fix and what will come straight from our pocket.

Understanding what home repairs are covered by insurance isn’t just about fine print; it’s about financial peace of mind. It’s the difference between a stressful, budget-breaking ordeal and a manageable inconvenience. This guide will demystify Indian home insurance, breaking down in simple terms what is covered, what is not, and the crucial steps you must take to ensure your claim doesn’t get rejected.

The Two Main Shields: Understanding Your Policy Type

First, you must know what kind of insurance you have. In India, there are two primary types, and they offer very different protections.

1. Home Structure Insurance (Also called a ‘Standard Fire & Special Perils Policy’):
This covers the physical structure of your home—the bricks, mortar, plaster, fixed fittings, and built-in cabinets. If you are the owner of the house or apartment, this is the policy for you. Think of it as insurance for the building itself.

2. Home Contents Insurance (A ‘Burglary & Housebreaking’ or ‘All-Risk’ policy often bundled):
This covers the stuff inside your home—furniture, electronics, appliances, jewellery, and personal belongings. This is essential for both owners and tenants. Think of it as insurance for your movable possessions.

Most comprehensive ‘Home Insurance Packages’ sold today combine both Structure and Contents coverage. Always check your policy document to see what you have.

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PART 1: REPAIRS TO THE STRUCTURE – WHAT’S USUALLY COVERED?

These are repairs needed for the building itself. Coverage is typically for sudden, accidental damage caused by specific events listed in the policy, known as ‘Perils.’

Covered Peril 1: Acts of Nature (The Big, Unavoidable Forces)

• Fire, Lightning, and Explosion: Damage from a short-circuit fire, a lightning strike, or a gas cylinder explosion. This includes repairs to burnt walls, damaged wiring, and structural damage from the blast.
• Storm, Cyclone, Typhoon, and Flood: Damage from wind, hail, or rising water. Crucially: This covers water entering your home from outside. This would include repairs to a roof torn off by a storm, windows shattered by hail, or walls damaged by floodwater. The monsoon ceiling leak from our story may be covered only if the water entered due to storm damage to the roof/wall. A leak from your neighbour’s overflowing tank above? That’s a different story (see below).
• Earthquake and Landslide: Repairs to cracks in walls, foundation issues, or collapse due to these seismic events.

Covered Peril 2: Man-Made Mayhem

• Riot, Strike, and Malicious Damage: Damage caused by public unrest or intentional vandalism to your property’s structure.
• Aircraft and Vehicle Damage: If an aircraft object falls on your home or a vehicle crashes into it, repairs are covered.
• Bursting or Overflowing of Water Tanks & Pipes: This is a key one! Sudden and accidental bursting of an internal water pipe or tank is covered. This means if an old, rusted pipe in your wall bursts and ruins your walls and flooring, the repair to the structure (and likely the damaged flooring) is covered.
• Impact Damage: Something hitting your house, like a falling tree or a satellite dish from the neighbour’s roof.

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PART 2: REPAIRS & REPLACEMENT OF CONTENTS – WHAT’S USUALLY COVERED?

This is for the belongings inside your four walls, again, only if damaged by the listed ‘Perils’ above.

• Electronics & Appliances: A TV fried by a power surge (if ‘Electrical Breakdown’ is included as an add-on), a refrigerator damaged by fire or flood.
• Furniture: A sofa soaked from a burst pipe, a wardrobe damaged in a fire.
• Personal Belongings: Clothing, books, kitchenware destroyed by an insured event.
• Jewellery & Valuables: Usually covered, but with sub-limits (e.g., only ₹1 lakh for jewellery unless specifically declared and insured for higher value). Theft is typically covered under this section.

The Golden Rule: Sudden & Accidental vs. Gradual & Negligent

This is the single most important concept in home insurance.

• COVERED: Sudden & Accidental Damage. A pipe bursts. A storm smashes a window. A fire breaks out.
• NOT COVERED: Gradual Deterioration & Lack of Maintenance. A pipe that has been leaking slowly for months, causing dampness and mould. General wear and tear. Peeling paint, rusting grills, or a roof that leaks because you haven’t maintained it for 10 years. Insurance is not a maintenance contract.

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PART 3: THE DANGER ZONE – WHAT IS TYPICALLY NOT COVERED?

Knowing what’s not covered is as vital as knowing what is. Here are the common exclusions:

1. Maintenance Issues: Any repair stemming from wear and tear, ageing, corrosion, or insect/pest infestation (like termite damage).
2. Construction/Design Flaws: Cracks due to poor construction, subsidence (land sinking) unless caused by an insured peril like an earthquake, and damage from faulty design.
3. Water Damage from Gradual Leaks: The most common point of dispute. A slow leak from a slightly open joint, a seepage from the bathroom over years, or dampness due to poor waterproofing—these are not covered.
4. Damage from War or Nuclear Risks: Standard exclusions.
5. Intentional Damage: Damage you or your family cause on purpose.
6. Loss of Cash, Deeds, and Certain Securities.
7. Pet Damage: Damage caused by your pets is generally excluded.

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PART 4: THE CLAIM SURVIVAL GUIDE – How to Ensure Your Repair Gets Paid For

Filing a claim correctly is a process. A misstep can lead to rejection.

Step 1: Immediate Action After the Damage (The ‘Do Not’ List)

• DO NOT start permanent repairs immediately. The insurer needs to survey the damage.
• DO NOT throw away damaged items (like the burnt sofa or the burst pipe). They are evidence.
• DO take steps to prevent further damage. This is your duty. If a window is broken, board it up. If a pipe is leaking, shut off the main valve and place buckets. If you don’t, the insurer can reject the claim for the additional damage.
• DO click multiple, clear photographs and videos of the damage from different angles.

Step 2: Notify the Authorities & Your Insurer

• For events like theft, fire, or major vandalism, file an FIR (First Information Report) at the local police station. This is mandatory for such claims.
• Inform your insurance company immediately. There is usually a 24-hour helpline. Give them your policy number and a brief description.

Step 3: Documentation is Your Best Friend
Prepare a file with:

• Filled claim form (from your insurer).
• Copy of your policy document.
• Photographs/Videos of the damage.
• Police FIR copy (if applicable).
• Repair estimates from 2-3 contractors.
• Original purchase invoices/receipts of damaged items (for contents claims).

Step 4: The Surveyor’s Visit
The insurer will appoint a licensed surveyor. Be present during the visit. Show all the damage, provide your evidence, and share the estimates. Be honest and cooperative.

Step 5: Settlement
Once approved, the insurer will either:

• Cashless: Directly pay the network repair agency/hospital.
• Reimbursement: You pay for the repairs and submit the bills for reimbursement.

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PART 5: SPECIAL SCENARIOS & SMART TIPS FOR INDIAN HOMES

• The Neighbour’s Leak Damaged My Ceiling: This is tricky. Your insurer might pay for your repairs first (if the water entry was sudden) and then use the legal principle of ‘subrogation’ to recover the cost from your neighbour’s insurance or your neighbour directly. Start by talking to your neighbour.
• Power Surge Damage: Standard policies often exclude this. You must buy an ‘Electrical/Electronic Appliances’ add-on to cover repairs to your AC, fridge, TV, etc., from voltage fluctuations.
• Tenant’s Dilemma: As a tenant, you must get Contents insurance. The landlord’s Structure insurance will not cover your belongings. You are also liable for damage you cause to the landlord’s structure (like a kitchen fire), so consider a policy that includes a ‘Tenant’s Liability’ cover.
• Renovation Time: If you’re renovating, inform your insurer. Major renovations can change the risk profile. An uninformed insurer can reject a future claim.
• The Sum Insured is King: Do not underinsure to save on premium. For structure, insure for the full reconstruction cost of your home, not its market value. For contents, make a detailed list of all possessions and their current value. Update this every year.

Conclusion: Your Home’s True Safety Net

Home insurance is a promise of restoration, not a maintenance contract. It is designed to rescue you from financial shock after sudden, catastrophic events—the fire, the flood, the burglary.

The key to unlocking its benefits is threefold:

1. Buy the Right Policy: Understand Structure vs. Contents and add necessary riders (like for electrical surges).
2. Know the Exclusions: Remember, gradual damage and wear & tear are your responsibility.
3. Be a Proactive Claimant: Document everything, inform promptly, and mitigate further damage.

Treat your policy document like an important manual. Read it once a year. Ask your agent questions. When the next monsoon drip or unexpected crisis happens, you won’t be paralyzed by fear and confusion. You’ll know the drill. You’ll reach for your phone, not just a bucket, and confidently start the process to make your home whole again. That’s the true value of knowing what your insurance will repair..