Does a Home Warranty Cover Plumbing, Leaks and Stoppages?

Short answer: many home warranty plans include interior plumbing, typically covering leaks and breaks in accessible pipes and clearing some stoppages. They usually do not pay for the water damage a leak causes, and many contracts limit or exclude damage from freezing, outside lines and inaccessible pipes.

What is often included

Depending on the contract, plumbing coverage may name supply and drain lines inside the home, valves, some toilet parts, and clearing of accessible drain stoppages. Wording such as "accessible" and "within the main foundation" matters, so read it closely.

What is often limited or excluded

• Water damage to floors, walls, ceilings or belongings
• Pipes under slabs, inside walls, or outside the foundation, or access and restoration costs to reach them
• Sewer and septic lines, unless an add-on covers them
• Stoppages caused by roots or foreign objects
• Freezing, which some contracts treat as excluded or limited
• Fixtures such as faucets and shower heads, which may be covered only partly

Do not assume a home warranty pays for burst pipes from a freeze. Check the contract, and check your homeowners policy for the damage side.

Plumbing contract checklist

• How does the contract define "accessible" pipes?
• Is there a limit for gaining access through walls or floors, and is restoration included?
• Are sewer lines, septic systems or sump pumps covered or add-ons?
• How does the plan treat freezing?
• What is the dollar cap for plumbing repairs?

See pre-existing conditions for how older problems are treated.

Next step

Enter your ZIP code on our quote form to see which companies serve your area, then read each sample contract for the items above before you choose.