Finding the Leak After Water Damage
When the water leak comes from the common areas of the condominium, it is often difficult to find someone willing to take the initiative to find the source of the leak. Indeed, the person contacting a professional to find the leak is usually the one who pays the bill following the intervention. This role must then be taken on by the co-ownership trustee whose mission is to take care of the management and conservation of the building. In order for him to take care of contacting a professional pinnacle restoration for the search for a leak, it is however necessary to warn him of the water damage. The costs are then distributed among the various co-owners.
In addition, be aware that most insurance contracts cover the search for a leak. Please note, however, that compensation will only be effective for a claim covered by the insurance contract.
Determining the origin of the water damage also makes it possible to identify the responsibilities of each person , which is essential for the declaration of loss to be made to the insurer. However, it is not always possible to identify the origin of the loss without the presence of a professional. In the event of water damage, to identify the origin of the leak, you can turn to:
- a plumber ;
- a building expert;
- an architect, etc.
If in the event of a water leak from the pipes, it is advisable to contact a plumber , a building expert will be better able to understand a humidity problem whose origin may be:
- infiltration from the facade;
- a sealing problem in the installation of a shower;
- capillary lifts, etc.
The insurer usually brings an insurance expert to the scene to assess the financial value of the damage. Its expertise does not include the search for leaks.
The amicable report “water damage”
To obtain the document to be completed in order to make an amicable “water damage” report, it is generally sufficient to go to the website of your insurer. You can also contact your advisor to send the document directly to you or visit your insurance company in person. An amicable report is a document that guides you in the description of the water damage that has occurred in your home and allows the insurer to better understand it:
- the causes ;
- circumstances ;
- the extent of the damage;
- the area of your home affected;
- the contact details of the various people concerned.
This document must be completed even if you are the only accommodation concerned and the water damage comes from your accommodation. The amicable report is a model document that speeds up the compensation process. It is made up of 3 elements:
- the first element of the document is to be sent to the victim’s insurer;
- the second part of the document is to be sent to the person responsible’s insurer;
- the third element of the document must be sent to the condominium manager.
Turn off the water in housing where residents are absent
- When the water damage comes from another home, it sometimes happens that the inhabitants are not present during the disaster and that it is not possible to reach them either. Turning off the water can then be complicated when there is no water meter outside the home. We advise you to contact:
- the caretaker of the building;
- the condominium manager;
- a member of the union council ;
- neighbors.
Indeed, one of these people can sometimes hold a set of keys that allows access to the accommodation while the water is turned off. If you cannot find someone to open the accommodation, the only solution to shut off the water in the accommodation concerned is to contact the fire department. Indeed, they have the necessary authorizations to force open the apartment door and shut off the water.
The reclamation estimate
Once the leak has been identified and the urgent work has been carried out, do not rush to carry out the work, but compare several quotes from professionals for the restoration of the premises after the water damage. Indeed, repairing the cause of the water damage is essential for the insurance to pay compensation to the victims. If the work is not done, there is a risk of recurrence and the insurer always asks for an invoice from a professional to ensure that you have had this work done.
Thus, the repair work of the leak will be your responsibility or that of the person in charge, but will not be taken into account by the insurance companies.
Regarding the restoration work, they are taken care of by the insurers. In fact, compensation concerns the consequences of water damage and not its cause. However, the work must not be put in place before the insurance has been approved. Thus, it is possible to proceed in two ways for the restoration after water damage:
For the establishment of the estimate
1) The insurance company can send an expert to assess the damage
When insurers choose this solution, it is necessary to wait several weeks before the arrival of the expert. He waits for the water to dry before going there to examine the damage.
Above all, the co-owner must not begin the restoration before the expert arrives since he would then not be able to make a fair estimate.
However, the co-owner can take advantage of this time to take an inventory of damaged goods and have a repair estimate made for an estimate.
2) The insurance company may ask the insured to send it the estimate before the work is carried out.
Insurers generally choose this solution if the damage is minor. For carrying out the work
1) Sometimes the insurance company itself offers a repair company after water damage.
In this case you will not need to pay for the work.
In fact, you will not receive compensation since the insurance will pay it directly to the company for the repair of your home.
2) The insurance company can also accept the quote that you offer it after having made requests by yourself to professionals.
Based on the amount of the quote, the insurer will then make a compensation proposal. You will then receive compensation which will allow you to pay the professional of your choice for the repair of the water damage. The professional carrying out the work does not have to be the one who produced the estimate.
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