Your insurance policy isn’t a maintenance plan

Home insurance may protect you when something suddenly goes wrong, but homeowners shouldn’t assume it will pick up the bill when damage has been developing for months or years.

The Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) says gradual damage is commonly excluded from house insurance policies. Examples include rotten weatherboards, rusting roofing, damage caused by leaking showers and overflowing blocked gutters.

Marty Bamford, Managing Director of Platinum Pacific Group, says it can become expensive when homeowners discover a problem and assume insurance will pay for the repairs.

“Insurance isn’t a maintenance plan. If you’ve maintained your roof and a storm damages it, that’s quite different from a roof that has deteriorated over time and eventually starts leaking.”

“The same applies inside the house. If you’ve had a shower leaking slowly for six months, repairing the shower doesn’t undo the damage that water may already have caused behind the wall or under the floor.”

Marty says leaks around roofs and windows are among the problems PPG regularly encounters, and changing seasons can expose weaknesses that weren’t previously obvious.

“Materials move as the weather changes. Cladding can expand and contract, sealants can break down and cracks can develop. None of these necessarily looks serious when it starts, but once water finds a way in, the damage can continue without the homeowner knowing about it.”

He recommends checking the exterior of the house twice a year, ideally in spring and autumn, paying particular attention to the roof, cladding, windows, sealants and gutters.

Gutters deserve particular attention on townhouses where internal gutters may run alongside firewalls.

“A leaking internal gutter can cause damage over a long period before you realise there’s a problem. They need to be checked and kept clear because the consequences can be significant.”

Washing the house is also part of maintenance rather than appearance alone.

“Dirt, mould, mildew and other contaminants build up on the exterior and can affect the paint system over time. Once that protective surface starts deteriorating, you’re increasing the opportunity for water to get into places where it shouldn’t.”

For homeowners, Marty says the practical response is straightforward.

“Have a good look at the house in spring and autumn. If you see cracking, failed sealant, staining, overflowing gutters or anything else you’re unsure about, get somebody to look at it.”

“Finding a small problem early is usually a lot easier than finding out six months later that it’s become a major repair.”