Home insurance rip off......

[Blueistheneworange]

Nothing speaks Christmas more than a floooded kitchen.....or at least that was the message we were getting early on Christmas morning when we came down to what I thought was a leaking washing machine. We cleared up the puddle and went into the sitting room to see if Father Christmas had visited.
When I went back into the kitchen the puddle had reappeared and was growing as we watched.
Many towels later and having disconnected the washing machine and dishwasher we realised the problem was a bit bigger and turned of the mains water to the house.
With no family living close by i was getting desperate about how to feed the family the planned dinner. We managed to isolate the water to the ground floor and decided to crack on getting water from the bathroom and washing up in the bath.
But then the water started coming back on the kitchen floor. This time we realised it was warm so managed to turn off all the hot water to the house. Since then we've managed by boiling kettles to have water for washing.
This morning the insurance company was open so we called to begin the process. As the leak seems to be coming from hot water pipes under the tiles in the kitchen (in the concrete floor) we wanted to make sure we were fully compliant with the insurers policies and protocols as it could be difficult, and expensive, to find the leak, repair it and repair the damage caused by the previous two.
Our insurance have tried to tell us that we aren't covered for any repairs needed to the floor (or kitchen) - that we are covered for the leak to be found and stopped and anything damaged by the water but that we would have to pay for anything beyond that.
We've gone through our policy and can't find anything to support the insurers viewpoint. AIBU to think that the whole idea of the insurance company not funding the cost of the repair and reinstating of the floor is just their attempt to opt out of their committment to us - if that's the case what is the point of anyone having insurance. Does anyone have past experiences and can offer any helpful advice.

Thanks

[Waves to Wild]

Hold on, if you have T&A cover, then don't you get the cost of finding and accessing the leak, but not the cost of the repair of the actual pipe (usually the cheapest bit unless there's been a catastrophic event), then the remedial works for the damage caused by the T&A works and the original escape of water event?

If that's wrong, well, good thing I'm only a casualty adjuster.

TheCraic, that's right.
No cover for the fixing of the leak/pipe itself, but for putting the damage caused by the tracing and accessing of the leak right.

My sentence structure probably didn't sound right, I'm not with it today!

Thanks Wild, I feel all chuffed now 

We've just had a very major escape of water under the ground floor of our house resulting in significant structural damage (nearly a year out of our house and over £100,000 to put right!!!) and the surveyor told us only around half of the policies would cover this kind of escape of water as despite being within the subfloor under tiles, joists etc it was considered a maintenance issue. Beyond grateful ours did.

Which insurers, panda? We should nane.and shame/name and praise

Waiting for the plumber to arrive and see if we can have hot water to some of the house. Fingers crossed yes

Legal & General. I won't say their claims handlers have been at all easy to deal with, and it took nearly 6 months for work to begin, but at least it was covered.

Hope you have water now Blue

Yes, at least it was covered! You just assume it will be until it happens

Any news, blue?

Sorry, ought I had posted earlier but it doesn't appear to have loaded. Plumber has been and gone for today and I have had a shower
There are several holes in the kitchen floor and one cupboard had to be removed. Finally the chap found the pipe run (which wasn't where it made sense).There was a dent in the pipe and so that was cut out and a new piece inserted. Unfortunately that wasn't the only hole and water gushed and spurted out in several places on the exposed pipe and we could see it pouring out of the screed also. So water was turned off again.
Decision was taken to put a temporary bypass on the pipe from what looked like the boxed pipes in the kitchen corner. But the only pipes in there were for the central heating.
The plumber then managed to put a cut off valve in the corner of the dining room shutting off the hot water supply to the ground floor but that at least allowed us to shower upstairs.
Tomorrow he will return and try to drop a new supply pipe down to the kitchen from the bathroom above it and negate the need to drill up the entire floor in the kitchen and dining room. Worst case will involve taking up carpets and floorboards upstairs to get a new supply in.
But we are so lucky to have someone competent and trustworthy doing the work.

Wow what a nightmare, the pipe sounds totally knackered!