Does home insurance (buildings) cover rising damp?

Question

Does home insurance (buildings) cover rising damp?

Answer 1

There are two things that you left out that are critical to a response:

1) What is causing the increase in humidity?

2) What actual, physical damage to the home has it caused?

Answer 2

The short answer is no. When you look into your policy you will have (almost certainly) two levels of cover; Standard cover and accidental damage.

Standard is fire, flood, impact, burst pipes, theft, storm, that sort of thing. If your loss does not fit into one of the categories ("Perils") then you have no claim. Accidental damage ("AD") extends standard to include AD. The typical wording is " ... sudden unforeseen, external damage excluding mechanical wear & tear and gradually operating cause ... " Rising damp may be specifically excluded as most definately dry rot will be or whether it will be classesd as a "gradually operating cause".

I know this doesn't help but it explains in detail exactl why you will be unsuccessful.

xxFJ

Answer 3

I doubt it.  I would think the only rising damp covered would be flooding (well and truly rising damp).

Answer 4

Very much doubt it because that would be wear and tear, but the best answer is t read your policy and talk to the insurers