Should I put this through home insurance, or try to sort it myself?

[TheBerry]

There is water ingress to my cellar.

My house is old. The cellar isn't really used. It's all unfinished - stone floor, stone walls. It's not a flood or anything, just water somehow getting in so there's a few mm on the floor.

I'm pretty sure it's not a pipe or anything like that. I think it's just getting in from outside.

Should I put this through my home insurance, or would my premiums go up too much? Should I just hire someone to come in and identify the source of water... and then maybe tell home insurance, once I have more info?? And who should I call in if so... a plumber?? Builder?

Depends on what the cause is as to whether you'd be covered. It would have to either be flood or escape of water.

Unless it's a sudden accidental leak the insurance company will say it's just a general maintenance issue. Cellars do get damp.

Gutting. So I’ll have just to get a builder round I guess 😕

The insurance company would want the problem inspected and if there is a general damp problem it could affect how they insure it in the future. Premiums and excess could go up.

It could be cheaper in the long run to deal with it privately.

You need to get it tanked so it's waterproof from the normal water in soil.