A burst pipe in a vacant house is often not fully covered. Many homeowners policies exclude freezing damage unless the owner kept the heat on or shut off the water and drained the system, and some limit coverage once a home has been vacant for a set number of days. Read your vacancy and freezing clauses, report the loss promptly, and stop the damage now. Need the water stopped and the house dried? Call (413) 603-1274.
What policies usually say
- Freezing exclusion: damage from freezing of plumbing is excluded unless you used reasonable care to maintain heat, or shut off the water and drained the pipes and appliances
- Vacancy clause: after a home is vacant for a set period, often around 60 days, some coverages are reduced or excluded
- Vacant vs unoccupied: policies may define these differently. A furnished home you are away from may be treated differently from an empty house
Wording varies by insurer. Your policy controls. General information only, not legal advice.
Common situations
- Estate home after a death: tell the insurer the home is vacant. Many offer a vacancy endorsement or a vacant-property policy
- Rental between tenants: landlord policies may have their own vacancy rules
- Snowbird home: usually not vacant if furnished, but the heat and water conditions still apply
- Renovation: tell the insurer. Construction can change coverage
What to do now
- Shut the water and start drying. Policies expect you to limit the damage.
- Photograph everything, including the thermostat setting and the heating system.
- Gather proof of care: oil delivery records, utility bills showing heat use, notes from whoever checked the house.
- Report the loss to the insurer promptly.
- Call us for the repair and drying: (413) 603-1274.
See how to document water damage and, if the claim is refused, claim denied in Massachusetts.
Next winter
Either keep the heat on and have the house checked regularly, or have it fully winterized. See how to winterize a vacant house in Massachusetts.
Vacant or unoccupied?
Policies often use two different words. A home that is unoccupied still has furniture and belongings and the owner plans to come back, such as during a long trip or a hospital stay. A home that is vacant is empty of the things needed to live there, such as a house between tenants or after an owner has moved out or passed away. Vacancy clauses usually limit coverage after the home has been vacant for a set number of days, often around 60, but your policy sets the exact terms. If you inherit a house, buy one to renovate, or move out before a sale, tell your agent. A vacant home policy or endorsement may be needed.
Estates and inherited homes
A family home left empty after a parent passes away is one of the most common places for a winter burst. The heat gets turned down to save money, no one checks for weeks, and a pipe on an outside wall freezes. If you are handling a parent's house in Chicopee this winter, decide early: keep it heated and checked every few days, or have the water shut off and the system drained.
Questions
The heat was on but a pipe still froze. Is that covered?
Keeping heat on is usually what the freezing exclusion asks for, so these claims are more often paid. The vacancy clause may still apply.
Can I still file a claim?
Yes. Report it and let the insurer review it. See burst pipe insurance in Massachusetts.
Burst pipe in an empty house? Call now
Call (413) 603-1274 now. Locally owned in Chicopee.