Updated · General information, not advice · TitanDC
The first hour
Damage from a burst geyser gets worse by the minute, and an insurer expects you to take reasonable steps to limit it. Do these in order.
- Close the water stopcock, or the valve on the geyser if you can reach it safely
- Switch the geyser off at the distribution board, but only if the board and the way to it are dry and safe; keep clear of wet electrical fittings and sagging ceilings
- Move what you safely can out of the water: electronics, documents, furniture, carpets
- Photograph the damage when practical, without delaying urgent action
- Call your insurer’s emergency line or your adviser, and ask which plumber may attend and what work is authorised
Why you must not simply call your own plumber
Household policies commonly make the insurer’s authorisation a condition of the geyser claim, and many insurers run panels of approved plumbers. Appointing your own and presenting the invoice afterwards can turn a legitimate claim into a dispute.
- Get authorisation for the repair, in writing if possible; a claim number alone is not authorisation
- Use the insurer’s appointed plumber unless they agree otherwise
- Keep the old geyser if you can — assessors sometimes want to see it
- Emergency measures to stop further damage are expected and are different from repairs — do those immediately
What is usually covered, and what is usually not
The distinction that matters is between the geyser itself, the damage the water caused, and wear. Policies differ, so treat this as the shape of the answer rather than the answer for your policy.
- Usually covered: the burst geyser, and the resulting water damage to the building and contents
- Usually covered: the plumber, the new geyser, and making good where the work was done
- Often limited: the excess is frequently higher for geyser claims than for other household claims
- Damage to movable contents needs contents cover; it is not part of a buildings claim
- Often excluded from general property cover: gradual leaks, rust, corrosion and wear, although a specific geyser section or extension may be wider, so check it
- Installation requirements and compliance certificates can affect the assessment; ask the insurer which requirement applies to your claim
In a sectional title scheme, ask who owns the geyser
In a flat or a townhouse the answer is rarely obvious, and it decides which policy responds. The scheme’s building policy and the owner’s own policy cover different things, and the split comes from the sectional plan and the scheme’s rules.
- The scheme’s policy insures the geyser, but the owner whose section it serves must maintain and replace it, and is responsible for the excess on damage to parts they must maintain
- Damage to the building itself falls to the body corporate’s policy
- Damage to your contents is almost always yours
- Tell the managing agent as well as your insurer — both claims may need to run
- Establish the split in writing before it happens, not while the ceiling is wet
What to have ready when you call
Having these to hand shortens the call and the claim.
- Your policy number and the address
- When you noticed it, and what you did first
- Photographs and, if possible, a short video
- A list of damaged items, with approximate ages and values
- Whether the property is a house, a flat or part of a scheme
- Access details — when someone can get in to assess and repair
Common questions
Does household insurance cover a burst geyser?+
Many household buildings policies cover the geyser bursting and the water damage that follows, subject to the excess and to the policy’s conditions. Gradual leaks, rust and wear are often excluded from general property cover, though a specific geyser section may be wider. Damage to movable contents needs contents cover, and geyser claims frequently carry their own excess.
Can I use my own plumber?+
Usually not without the insurer’s agreement. Policies commonly require authorisation before repairs and many insurers appoint plumbers from their own panel. Arranging a permanent repair first can put the claim in dispute; emergency steps to stop further damage are a different matter.
What if the ceiling collapses before the assessor arrives?+
Safety comes first: keep clear of a sagging or collapsed ceiling and of wet electrical fittings. Policies generally expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Photograph the position when it is safe, keep the damaged material where practical, and tell the insurer promptly what you did and why.
Who pays in a sectional title scheme?+
The body corporate’s policy insures the geyser and the resulting damage to the building. The owner whose section the geyser serves must maintain, repair and replace it, is responsible for the excess on damage to the parts they must maintain, and insures their own movable contents. Report building damage to the managing agent and contents damage to your own insurer.
Will a geyser claim increase my premium?+
It may affect your renewal terms, as any claim can. That is a question for your adviser, weighing your own claims history against the size of the loss.
Sources
This page cites the legislation and regulators it relies on, so you can check it.
General information about household insurance claims in South Africa, not advice. What your policy covers, the excess and the conditions that apply depend on the wording. TitanDC is an authorised financial services provider, FSP 8972.