Damaged kitchen - can I claim on insurance

[Frillysweetpea]

I have an old but perfectly serviceable joiner-built pine kitchen. No separate plinth or chipboard units - everything is hand built with glue and screws. As a result my plumber had to cut through the base to find a recently discovered leak.
Turns out my professionally installed dishwasher has been spewing out its waste water under the units for month as the outlet hose had come out of the waste outlet.
I think the plaster has been soaking up most of the water as there has been a bit of an intermittent whiff since late last Summer but no sign of water. Now, however, the plinth and frames are going, black, visibly damp and there is mould in some places. We will have to cut the bases out of the rest of the adjacent cupboards to be sure we clean up all the mould and food waste that may have escaped laterally. 🤢
In theory, I suppose we could clean up, dry out, cover the holes with false shelves, treat everything visibly damaged with mould spray and then re-wax. A replacement kitchen would be preferable given its age but we can't afford this. Wondering about my chances of successfully claiming on my home insurance? If unsuccessful, will it still affect my rating/reinsurance premiums by having claimed? What would you do?

I’d claim on my insurance and if I got a new kitchen out of it, the increase in premiums would be worth it! See what they say in the first instance.

Damage due to escape of water is one of the main things that insurance will pay out for. I'd talk to the insurance company and ask them, and work out what your excess would be.

It would depend on what your policy says you're covered for.

I've a very similar kitchen and would be utterly devastated if this happened.Hopefully it will be possible for you to claim for a similar replacement kitchen.

Escape of water is covered but is this bad enough damage to warrant a replacement kitchen? If they are only going to pay for a joiner to repair shelves and rehang doors after we have cleaned up and dried out I'm not sure it's worth the premium raise.

I doubt an insurance company wouldn't cover the cost of a new kitchen, however, they may consider a replacement cupboard, damage to plaster and floorboards/concrete as well as any flooring on top of that, ie laminate, vinyl, tiles which may have soaked up water underneath.