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Prevention
A small hose, a big insurance risk
Managing Director
Sharon has worked in the insurance industry for close to 40 years...
Flexi hoses are small, inexpensive and easy to overlook. But when they fail, the damage to a rental property can be significant. What starts as a minor plumbing issue can quickly turn into water damage, upset tenants, repairs, loss of rent and a stressful insurance claim…
As a specialist landlord insurance provider, we regularly see the impact of water damage claims. Water can move quickly through cabinetry, flooring and walls, meaning lengthy repairs and ongoing administration for landlords and property managers alike.
That’s why prevention matters.
First, what even is a flexi hose?
A flexi hose is the small pipe that connects water supply points to taps, toilets, dishwashers and other fixtures around the home. They’re commonly found under sinks, behind toilets and inside vanities, usually hidden out of sight and rarely thought about.
While they play an important role in everyday plumbing, flexi hoses can deteriorate over time due to age, wear and tear, pressure or poor installation. When they burst, they can release a significant amount of water very quickly.
Steve Manning on the scale of the problem
Steve Manning, an experienced loss adjuster with LMI Group, has spent decades working across insurance claims ranging from $5,000 matters through to major $30 million losses. LMI Group and EBM RentCover are long-standing insurance partners, united by a shared commitment to supporting Australians and helping clients achieve fair outcomes when things go wrong.
Steve was, in his own words, “born into insurance.” Guided by his father, who founded the business that would later become LMI Group, Steve started in the industry at just 13 years old, taking claim photos, developing film and working in the mailroom.
Drawing on that experience, Steve says burst flexi hoses continue to cause significant problems for Australian property owners.
“Sadly, burst flexi hoses remain one of the greatest causes of insurance losses for Australians,” Steve says. “Over the past couple of months, I have been assisting a couple of families who have lost the use of their houses due to burst flexi hoses. One family has now been out of their house for coming on three months and have been moved five times with works yet to begin.”
That experience is exactly why landlords and agents should look at flexi hoses through both a maintenance and insurance lens. These claims can mean long vacancies and loss of rent, urgent communication with tenants, repair coordination and a much bigger interruption than one might think.
“While a solid insurance program is important, preventing the losses in the first place is always going to be the best form of risk management,” says Steve. “Let’s face it, even the smoothest of claims is a headache and stress we could live without.”
That message aligns closely with what EBM RentCover tells landlords and agents every day: insurance is there to help when the unexpected happens, but avoiding the loss altogether is always the better outcome.
Why prevention matters
Burst flexi hoses are a risk landlords and property managers can manage with preventative maintenance and regular checks.
A good property maintenance routine should include inspecting flexi hoses for warning signs such as rust, corrosion, kinks, moisture, bulging or fraying. It’s also important to check the age of hoses, as older hoses can become more susceptible to failure over time.
Landlords and property managers should consider:
- asking plumbers to inspect flexi hoses during routine maintenance visits
- checking hoses during routine inspections where accessible
- proactively replacing ageing hoses before failure occurs
- ensuring replacement hoses are installed by a licensed plumber.
If any warning signs are spotted, replacement should be arranged as soon as possible.
TOP TIP: Steve Manning recommends installing a pressure-controlled isolation valve as an added layer of protection. These valves are designed to automatically shut off water flow if they detect an unusually high flow rate (such as when a flexi hose bursts) helping to minimise the risk of significant water damage. You can learn more here.
When something goes wrong
Regular checks and proactive maintenance can help reduce the risk of water damage. But if something does go wrong, having the right landlord insurance in place can make a difference.
EBM RentCover can provide cover for water damage to contents caused by events such as bursting pipes, overflowing fixed basins or baths, leaking roofs, sewerage discharge, and water escaping suddenly from items like waterbeds or aquariums.
Got a question about what is and isn’t covered? Contact the EBM RentCover team on 1800 661 662.