GITNUXREPORT 2026

Water Damage Claims Statistics

Water damage is a common and costly issue for homeowners and insurers.

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Appliance failures lead to 10% of water claims

Statistic 2

Plumbing leaks are responsible for 32% of water damage claims

Statistic 3

Frozen pipes cause 25% of winter water damage

Statistic 4

Toilet overflows account for 11% of claims

Statistic 5

Roof leaks contribute to 18% of water intrusion cases

Statistic 6

Sewer backups represent 6% of claims

Statistic 7

HVAC leaks account for 7% of water damage

Statistic 8

Washing machine failures: 5% of claims

Statistic 9

Hot water heater ruptures: 4% share

Statistic 10

Bathtub overflows: 8% of incidents

Statistic 11

Dishwasher leaks: 3%

Statistic 12

55% of claims from pipe bursts

Statistic 13

Ice dams cause 15% northern US claims

Statistic 14

Wind-driven rain: 12% of roof leaks

Statistic 15

Sprinkler system malfunctions: 2%

Statistic 16

EIFS wall leaks: 9% commercial

Statistic 17

Failed sump pumps: 9%

Statistic 18

30% claims from aging infrastructure

Statistic 19

Water heater failures peak in winter, 22%

Statistic 20

AC condensate issues: 5%

Statistic 21

Shower pan failures: 4%

Statistic 22

Garbage disposal clogs: 2%

Statistic 23

Window leaks: 10%

Statistic 24

Expansion tanks reduce bursts 60%

Statistic 25

Fridge icemaker leaks: 3%

Statistic 26

Clogged gutters: 14%

Statistic 27

Bidet malfunctions: 1%

Statistic 28

Expansion joint failures: 6% commercial

Statistic 29

Skylight leaks: 7%

Statistic 30

Septic backups: 5%

Statistic 31

Average water damage claim costs $12,000

Statistic 32

The average payout for sudden water damage is $10,500

Statistic 33

Water damage restoration averages $3,500 per incident

Statistic 34

Total water damage claims paid $15 billion in 2022

Statistic 35

Commercial water claims average $21,000

Statistic 36

Average residential claim is $11,098

Statistic 37

Water damage costs insurers $13.5B annually

Statistic 38

$4,500 average for minor leak repairs

Statistic 39

Secondary mold damage doubles costs to $20k

Statistic 40

$15,000 average for flood restoration

Statistic 41

Commercial properties: $50k avg claim

Statistic 42

Average deductibles absorb 20% of costs

Statistic 43

$8,000 avg for slab leak repair

Statistic 44

$2,700 avg cleanup without mold

Statistic 45

$30k avg for severe flooding

Statistic 46

Total economic loss $25B yearly

Statistic 47

Mold claims add 50% to costs

Statistic 48

$1.2T replacement value at risk

Statistic 49

Hidden leaks cost $6k undetected

Statistic 50

$7,500 avg appliance claim

Statistic 51

Commercial avg $43k

Statistic 52

$18k avg with structural damage

Statistic 53

$3k avg minor residential

Statistic 54

$250k max policy limit hit 2%

Statistic 55

$10M mega claims rare 0.1%

Statistic 56

$4k avg HVAC remediation

Statistic 57

Water damage accounts for 23% of all property damage claims in the US

Statistic 58

In 2022, there were over 1.7 million water damage claims filed in the US

Statistic 59

Flooding causes 1 in 5 water damage incidents annually

Statistic 60

Water damage claims increased by 5% from 2021 to 2022

Statistic 61

Burst pipes cause $5,000 average damage yearly per 100 homes

Statistic 62

Claims frequency up 17% post-2020 floods

Statistic 63

13 million US homes at high water risk

Statistic 64

Annual incidence rate: 1.3% of policies

Statistic 65

28% claim increase in coastal areas

Statistic 66

1.9M claims projected for 2023

Statistic 67

Basement flooding: 40% of home claims

Statistic 68

21% of rentals face leaks yearly

Statistic 69

Midwest sees 18% higher frequency

Statistic 70

37M homes vulnerable to leaks

Statistic 71

Claims doubled in 5 years

Statistic 72

Southeast US: 25% of national claims

Statistic 73

11% annual increase since 2018

Statistic 74

California: 1.5M at risk homes

Statistic 75

Northeast winter claims 30% higher

Statistic 76

Texas floods: 500k claims 2017

Statistic 77

42% homes over 50 years old riskier

Statistic 78

Florida: highest per capita claims

Statistic 79

2.1M claims in wet years

Statistic 80

Pacific NW mold risk doubles claims

Statistic 81

1 in 50 insured homes files a water claim yearly

Statistic 82

Water damage is the #2 most filed homeowner claim

Statistic 83

37% of water claims are denied due to neglect

Statistic 84

Average settlement time for water claims is 45 days

Statistic 85

Sump pump failure claims rose 20% in 2023

Statistic 86

24% of claims from weather-related water intrusion

Statistic 87

1 in 4 claims involves mold remediation

Statistic 88

Flood exclusions deny 40% of water claims

Statistic 89

Denied claims cost homeowners $2B yearly

Statistic 90

Water damage claims 23% of total payouts

Statistic 91

65% claims approved after inspection

Statistic 92

Insurers paid $16.4B in 2021 water claims

Statistic 93

Average claim severity $9,800

Statistic 94

45% claims under $5k threshold

Statistic 95

12% denial rate for poor maintenance

Statistic 96

Multi-policy discounts save 15% on premiums

Statistic 97

68% claims from sudden events

Statistic 98

Subrogation recovers 10% of payouts

Statistic 99

22% claims from rentals

Statistic 100

Arbitration resolves 15% disputes

Statistic 101

Wear and tear denies 25%

Statistic 102

Fraud in 5% water claims

Statistic 103

Litigation in 8% disputes

Statistic 104

Non-weather water 75% claims

Statistic 105

Co-insurance penalties 10%

Statistic 106

Preventive maintenance reduces claims by 45%

Statistic 107

Early detection cuts restoration costs by 60%

Statistic 108

Mold remediation adds $2,000 to average claim

Statistic 109

Professional drying prevents 80% of secondary damage

Statistic 110

Insurance covers 70% of restoration costs on average

Statistic 111

Mitigation devices cut claims 30%

Statistic 112

Restoration industry $20B market

Statistic 113

Smart sensors prevent 50% losses

Statistic 114

Annual inspections reduce claims 35%

Statistic 115

Dehumidifiers save 25% on drying costs

Statistic 116

Backflow preventers mandatory reduce 40%

Statistic 117

Flood barriers cut damage 70%

Statistic 118

Air movers speed drying 40%

Statistic 119

Leak detectors ROI in 6 months

Statistic 120

EPA guidelines prevent 90% mold growth

Statistic 121

Thermal imaging detects 80% early

Statistic 122

Biohazard cleanup adds $5k

Statistic 123

Ozone treatment kills 99% bacteria

Statistic 124

HEPA filtration removes 99.97% particles

Statistic 125

Antimicrobial treatments prevent regrowth

Statistic 126

Psychrometric charts optimize 50% faster dryout

Statistic 127

Nano-coatings repel 90% water

1/127

Sources

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Imagine this: one in every fifty homes in America will file a water damage claim this year, and if yours is next, you’re facing an uphill battle against a staggering array of risks—from hidden pipe bursts to denied claims—that could cost you thousands of dollars and months of your time.

Key Takeaways

Water damage accounts for 23% of all property damage claims in the US
In 2022, there were over 1.7 million water damage claims filed in the US
Flooding causes 1 in 5 water damage incidents annually
Appliance failures lead to 10% of water claims
Plumbing leaks are responsible for 32% of water damage claims
Frozen pipes cause 25% of winter water damage
Average water damage claim costs $12,000
The average payout for sudden water damage is $10,500
Water damage restoration averages $3,500 per incident
1 in 50 insured homes files a water claim yearly
Water damage is the #2 most filed homeowner claim
37% of water claims are denied due to neglect
Preventive maintenance reduces claims by 45%
Early detection cuts restoration costs by 60%
Mold remediation adds $2,000 to average claim

Water damage is a common and costly issue for homeowners and insurers.

Causes

Appliance failures lead to 10% of water claims
Plumbing leaks are responsible for 32% of water damage claims
Frozen pipes cause 25% of winter water damage
Toilet overflows account for 11% of claims
Roof leaks contribute to 18% of water intrusion cases
Sewer backups represent 6% of claims
HVAC leaks account for 7% of water damage
Washing machine failures: 5% of claims
Hot water heater ruptures: 4% share
Bathtub overflows: 8% of incidents
Dishwasher leaks: 3%
55% of claims from pipe bursts
Ice dams cause 15% northern US claims
Wind-driven rain: 12% of roof leaks
Sprinkler system malfunctions: 2%
EIFS wall leaks: 9% commercial
Failed sump pumps: 9%
30% claims from aging infrastructure
Water heater failures peak in winter, 22%
AC condensate issues: 5%
Shower pan failures: 4%
Garbage disposal clogs: 2%
Window leaks: 10%
Expansion tanks reduce bursts 60%
Fridge icemaker leaks: 3%
Clogged gutters: 14%
Bidet malfunctions: 1%
Expansion joint failures: 6% commercial
Skylight leaks: 7%
Septic backups: 5%

Causes Interpretation

Beneath the tranquil hum of domestic life, our homes wage a ceaseless, drip-by-drip war against a startling array of internal treacheries, from aging pipes to rogue ice makers, proving our greatest plumbing foe is often the very infrastructure we built for comfort.

Financial Impact

Average water damage claim costs $12,000
The average payout for sudden water damage is $10,500
Water damage restoration averages $3,500 per incident
Total water damage claims paid $15 billion in 2022
Commercial water claims average $21,000
Average residential claim is $11,098
Water damage costs insurers $13.5B annually
$4,500 average for minor leak repairs
Secondary mold damage doubles costs to $20k
$15,000 average for flood restoration
Commercial properties: $50k avg claim
Average deductibles absorb 20% of costs
$8,000 avg for slab leak repair
$2,700 avg cleanup without mold
$30k avg for severe flooding
Total economic loss $25B yearly
Mold claims add 50% to costs
$1.2T replacement value at risk
Hidden leaks cost $6k undetected
$7,500 avg appliance claim
Commercial avg $43k
$18k avg with structural damage
$3k avg minor residential
$250k max policy limit hit 2%
$10M mega claims rare 0.1%
$4k avg HVAC remediation

Financial Impact Interpretation

While insurers wince at a dripping $15 billion annual tab, it's clear that whether it's a $3,000 domestic drip or a $50,000 commercial deluge, water quietly proves itself to be the most expensive and ironically democratic of household guests.

Frequency

Water damage accounts for 23% of all property damage claims in the US
In 2022, there were over 1.7 million water damage claims filed in the US
Flooding causes 1 in 5 water damage incidents annually
Water damage claims increased by 5% from 2021 to 2022
Burst pipes cause $5,000 average damage yearly per 100 homes
Claims frequency up 17% post-2020 floods
13 million US homes at high water risk
Annual incidence rate: 1.3% of policies
28% claim increase in coastal areas
1.9M claims projected for 2023
Basement flooding: 40% of home claims
21% of rentals face leaks yearly
Midwest sees 18% higher frequency
37M homes vulnerable to leaks
Claims doubled in 5 years
Southeast US: 25% of national claims
11% annual increase since 2018
California: 1.5M at risk homes
Northeast winter claims 30% higher
Texas floods: 500k claims 2017
42% homes over 50 years old riskier
Florida: highest per capita claims
2.1M claims in wet years
Pacific NW mold risk doubles claims

Frequency Interpretation

Nearly one in four American homeowners is playing a costly game of chance with water, where a single burst pipe or basement flood can turn their largest asset into a statistic that's rising twice as fast as it did just five years ago.

Insurance Claims

1 in 50 insured homes files a water claim yearly
Water damage is the #2 most filed homeowner claim
37% of water claims are denied due to neglect
Average settlement time for water claims is 45 days
Sump pump failure claims rose 20% in 2023
24% of claims from weather-related water intrusion
1 in 4 claims involves mold remediation
Flood exclusions deny 40% of water claims
Denied claims cost homeowners $2B yearly
Water damage claims 23% of total payouts
65% claims approved after inspection
Insurers paid $16.4B in 2021 water claims
Average claim severity $9,800
45% claims under $5k threshold
12% denial rate for poor maintenance
Multi-policy discounts save 15% on premiums
68% claims from sudden events
Subrogation recovers 10% of payouts
22% claims from rentals
Arbitration resolves 15% disputes
Wear and tear denies 25%
Fraud in 5% water claims
Litigation in 8% disputes
Non-weather water 75% claims
Co-insurance penalties 10%

Insurance Claims Interpretation

Your home's relationship with water is like a bad roommate: it's constantly causing expensive, hidden damage, and your insurance company is the stern landlord who will meticulously check if you've been doing your chores before deciding if they'll help pay for the mess.

Restoration and Mitigation

Preventive maintenance reduces claims by 45%
Early detection cuts restoration costs by 60%
Mold remediation adds $2,000 to average claim
Professional drying prevents 80% of secondary damage
Insurance covers 70% of restoration costs on average
Mitigation devices cut claims 30%
Restoration industry $20B market
Smart sensors prevent 50% losses
Annual inspections reduce claims 35%
Dehumidifiers save 25% on drying costs
Backflow preventers mandatory reduce 40%
Flood barriers cut damage 70%
Air movers speed drying 40%
Leak detectors ROI in 6 months
EPA guidelines prevent 90% mold growth
Thermal imaging detects 80% early
Biohazard cleanup adds $5k
Ozone treatment kills 99% bacteria
HEPA filtration removes 99.97% particles
Antimicrobial treatments prevent regrowth
Psychrometric charts optimize 50% faster dryout
Nano-coatings repel 90% water

Restoration and Mitigation Interpretation

Your best defense against a deluge of repair bills is a meticulous offense, where a stitch in time—using smart sensors, diligent inspections, and the right gear—not only saves nine but also spares you from the financial and fungal nightmares lurking in every undetected drip.

Sources & References

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