Question: What insurance claims can be made when a pressure value fails resulting in damage to carpet, gyprock and kitchen cupboards? The pipes service a number of units in a high rise building?
In The NSW Strata Magazine | September 2021, Tyrone Shandiman stated that “Where there is damage to both buildings & contents, a claim MUST (my emphasis) be made on both the contents and the strata policy”. I note his answer was to a question related to a burst pipe from a washing machine. Would the answer be different were there damage to carpet, furniture, gyprock and kitchen cupboards caused by a pressure valve failure (after some 30 years) in pipes that service a number of units in a high rise building ie the pipes and valve are common property?
Is the position the same In Qld?
Answer: The basic principal is that you must claim on the policy that insures the property damaged.
The basic principal is that you must claim on the policy that insures the property damaged. In this case, damage to carpet and furniture would be contents insurance and damage to gyprock and kitchen cupboards would be strata insurance.
With regard to cover subject to assessment by the insurer and applying the policy terms and conditions, the policy holder could expect that the insurer would cover water (“sudden & accidental damage”) but exclude repair costs associated with finding and fixing the damaged pressure valve (“wear & tear”).
The treatment of claims is consistent across all states in Australia.
Tyrone Shandiman Strata Insurance Solutions E: tshandiman@iaa.net.au P: 07 3899 5129
This information is of a general nature only and neither represents nor is intended to be personal advice on any particular matter. Shandit Pty Ltd T/as Strata Insurance Solutions strongly suggests that no person should act specifically on the basis of the information in this document, but should obtain appropriate professional advice based on their own personal circumstances. Shandit Pty Ltd T/As Strata Insurance Solutions is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 404246) of Insurance Advisernet Australia AFSL No 240549, ABN 15 003 886 687.