Dishwasher Leak – ~$10K Kitchen Damage, AAMI Rejected Insurance Claim, Dishwasher Manufacturer Doesn't Want to Know about It

eek on 08/07/2022 - 12:00
Last edited 08/07/2022 - 12:18 by 1 other user

Got a dilemma right now and rather annoyed. The dishwasher inlet valve fitting where it connects to the tap under my kitchen was faulty and leaked. Got a call one afternoon at work when my wife got home to find garage was flooded. The hose fitting had leaked under the cabinet, under the tiles and come out through the garage as the garage slab is lower than the house slab. Called a plumber that day to find the leak, turn the water off and the leak was stopped. Dishwasher technician came out about 2 weeks after and replaced the dishwasher inlet hose under warranty and has been fine ever since.

Lodged a claim with AAMI under home and contents insurance. I’ve had multiple people come and inspect my kitchen, take photos, moisture readings and give me an air scrubber due to mold under the cabinets. AAMI just called and now saying they are rejecting the claim as they consider it a ‘slow leak’.
There’s probably an estimated $10K or so of damage to my kitchen cabinets, skirting boards, wall linings, etc. Potentially more if there is damage to wall lining/insulation/timber framing behind cabinets. Moisture reading showed all the kick panels in the kitchen cabinets are still wet and the entire island bench (where the dishwasher and sink is) is very wet and moldy.

Contacted dishwasher company multiple times and they said they’ll don’t cover damages to kitchen if their dishwasher leaks.
I thought it would d have been a pretty straight forward claim, but AAMI doesn’t want to pay out. I had told the case manager maybe they could follow up with the dishwasher manufacturer to pay my insurance excess. Sent them my dishwasher purchase invoice, serial number and model number for them to follow up with dishwasher manufacturer to confirm they came out and replaced my inlet valve/hose under warranty.

I have an invoice from the plumber which just shows he turned up, found the leak and stopped it. Have lots of photos of us cutting up plaster boards to find potential leaks and video of leaking dishwasher valve. How quickly does the water leak need to be for AAMI to determine it to be a ‘slow leak’? It was dry in the morning and about 6 hours later the garage had a large puddle of water. Could see the water dripping out of the slab once wall lining was removed. Have an invoice from the plumber that day which says they found the dishwasher hose leaking and stopped it.

Waiting for AAMI to send me their assessor’s reports so I can go through the appeal process to protest their decision. Anybody been through a similar experience?

Home & Garden Dishwasher Home Insurance Insurance

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Comments

          • JimmyF on 08/07/2022 - 13:44
            +4

            @eek: Ok that is good to hear, if the slab doesn't have high moisture readings, then hard to claim slow leak. Push back on AMII then!

      • AndyC1 on 08/07/2022 - 14:55

        Good luck as you will need it.

  • Daniel Plainview on 08/07/2022 - 12:13

    My sympathy. However your questions all seem best directed to AAMI. I'd ask them to show in the T&Cs you would have used at sign up where the definitions pertaining to this area are outlined. Once you have this PERHAPS you can get the plumber or similar to state their expert opinion which may get your claim reviewed.

    But it's AAMI's definitions here that are all that matters, so you can only get that from them. :-) Best of luck.

    • ChickenTalon on 09/07/2022 - 20:32

      But it's AAMI's definitions here that are all that matters, so you can only get that from them.

      Not quite. The law has recently changed. If AAMI’s definitions for exclusion are unfair then they can be voided. Depending on when the OPs insurance was most recently renewed.

      https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/news-items/are-yo…

      In this case, a reasonable person would probably consider sudden large leak from an appliance as a “burst”.

  • HardQuiz on 08/07/2022 - 12:15
    +13

    I’ll leave this here

    https://www.afca.org.au/make-a-complaint/insurance

  • thatonethere on 08/07/2022 - 13:00
    +5

    It might have been a slow leak which then turned into a burst hose in the last few hours…

  • djkelly69 on 08/07/2022 - 13:15
    +6

    Contacted dishwasher company multiple times and they said they’ll don’t cover damages to kitchen if their dishwasher leaks.

    I don't think they get to choose what damage they cover if their product is defective.

    • JimmyF on 08/07/2022 - 13:29
      +2

      I don't think they get to choose what damage they cover if their product is defective.

      LOL Might need to know how old the dishwasher is before making claims like that. If its 10 years old dishwasher and leaked, then no company is going to cover it. If it was 3 months old, you might have a case.

      • djkelly69 on 08/07/2022 - 13:53
        +5

        Dishwasher technician came out about 2 weeks after and replaced the dishwasher inlet hose under warranty

        • apu on 08/07/2022 - 16:16
          +1

          This is essentially an admission. I would be pursuing the hose supplier/company if the insurance claim fails. It will cost you in legal fees, but probably worth it. The hose supplier/manufacturer will be insured against this type of loss as well, and it won't be the first time they've dealt with this type of issue.

          • eek on 08/07/2022 - 18:54

            @apu: I initially wanted them to pay for my insurance excess but they've been completlty silent about it.

            They're some call center on the gold coast who literally couldn't care less when trying to book in warranty claims let alone pursuing something larger like this. Wouldn't even know what kind of lawyer would take on a case like this? I'm picturing $10k in legal fees for $10k in kitchen remidiation works

            • BuyOrNot on 09/07/2022 - 08:25

              @eek: Which company?

            • lint on 11/07/2022 - 10:27
              +1

              @eek: You would take them to your state civil and administrative tribunal as a consumer law matter. Theres no legal fees involved other than the small cost to file the complaint with the tribunal.

              You bring the evidence to the tribunal and the manufacturer would have to front up a representative to argue they're not liable for the damage through a faulty product (it would be relevant to know how old the dishwasher is). If the manufacturer fails to show up at the hearing then they may be ruled against de facto.

              The tribunal will make an order based on the information presented. If they rule in your favour and the manufacturer does not honour it you can bring the matter back before the tribunal to be enforced.

    • Sleeqb7 on 09/07/2022 - 10:33
      +1

      In my experience most products don't cover damage caused to things when units are faulty.

      Phone holder on a motorcycle fails? Phone not covered.
      PSU explodes and destroys motherboard? Motherboard not covered.
      Tyre bursts and car crashes? Car not covered.

      It's in a lot of companies T&Cs. Not all, of course, but most.

      • ChickenTalon on 09/07/2022 - 20:38
        +3

        Abundantly clear under Australian Consumer Law

        https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees…

        Supplier is responsible for compensation if a product or service causes loss.

        Samsung washing machine catches fire because of the faulty internal wiring and burns down your house. Washing machine supplier is on the hook for the damage from the house fire.

        https://www.9news.com.au/national/samsung-washing-machine-ur…

        • Blitzfx on 09/07/2022 - 23:14
          +1

          Also, have to point out that company T&C does not overrule the law

          • ChickenTalon on 11/07/2022 - 08:44
            +2

            @Blitzfx: Correct and important. You cannot agree to wave your rights. Ts and Cs which you agree to are not binding if they are unfair.

            Insurance companies fought very hard to be carved out of the unfair contact term laws, and were quite successful up until the govt removed their exemption last year.

            • Sleeqb7 on 12/07/2022 - 08:53

              @ChickenTalon: Interesting. TIL!

              I have to assume most companies make up some BS and are able to ignore the claim under the section saying;
              "What is not covered?
              Businesses do not have to pay for damages or losses that:
              are not caused by their conduct, or their products
              relate to something independent of their business, after the goods left their control."

              In OPs case, for example, "Tubing was fine when it left here, must have been damaged in transit or by user, etc, etc".

  • JimmyF on 08/07/2022 - 13:27

    and give me an air scrubber due to mold under the cabinets. AAMI just called and now saying they are rejecting the claim as they consider it a ‘slow leak’.

    I know it isn't what you want to hear, but generally if you have mold in the area of the leak, then yes AMMI is correct, it has been a slow leak that has been leaking for a while. Its just now give way and at the point of you noticing. Bit like shower bases that leak etc.

    Contacted dishwasher company multiple times and they said they’ll don’t cover damages to kitchen if their dishwasher leaks.

    How old is the dishwasher? It's not normal practice for them to cover damages like you are requesting especially if out of warranty for years.

    • eek on 08/07/2022 - 13:38
      +2

      So the dishwasher 'burst' happened in March, nobody from AAMI had looked at it until end of May. Taken another month until they came to the decision today.

      We had quite a few weeks of wet weather/flooding in Brisbane during that period which didn't help anything dry out. The cabinets sit on a MDF frame too, not the plastic leg type cabinet so all the water was literally sealed inside. Dishwasher was less than 2yo at the time. Purchased brand new, has 5 year warranty from manufacturer.

      It was probably 2 weeks after the leak until I lodged a claim with AAMI as I started noticing the kick boards under the cabinet had started swelling. Realistically how would they determine if it was leaking before the event on the day? The times I've been under the bench to grab a new sponge, dishwasher tablets etc I hadn't noticed any water. If it had been leaking for 1 month beforehand I think there would have been enough water to seep out and damage the cabinets prior to the event.

      • spackbace on 08/07/2022 - 13:42
        +1

        It was probably 2 weeks after the leak until I lodged a claim with AAMI

        So dishwasher leaks/bursts, and you come home to find the house flooded. You don't lodge an insurance claim for 2 weeks, and you didn't check around the dishwasher and notice this:

        Moisture reading showed all the kick panels in the kitchen cabinets are still wet and the entire island bench (where the dishwasher and sink is) is very wet and moldy.

        That should've been visible to the naked eye, or at least feeling around the area

        • eek on 08/07/2022 - 13:52
          +2

          I left the cabinets/drawers open for the following weeks to help dry it out, but there is no access to underneath the cabinets. The island bench kick panels were sealed against the tiles with polyurethane gap sealant as well. It noticed as the mitre joins on the corners started swelling up first.

          When the insurance assessor came around he used a large crowbar and hammer to tear out one side of the kick panels to gain entry. There are no tiles under the island bench cabinetry, so it would have formed a small cavity under there for water to sit. Probably how the water was able to travel under the tiles and into the garage.

          MS Paint sketch of kitchen/tile/kickboard.

          https://ibb.co/sbNJ9jJ

          • cookie2 on 08/07/2022 - 17:17

            @eek: Maybe I'm a paranoid person but I'd remove this comment. You're admitting you knew something wasn't quite right and tried to air out the cupboards and delayed contacting them. You never know if they can claim your delay made things worse. Goodluck with the claim btw.

            • eek on 08/07/2022 - 19:01
              +4

              @cookie2: Regardless of if the claim was made on the day or 3 months later the damage is done to the MDF panels and need replacing once they get soaked. What if I had to leave for 2 months and nobody could assess it?

              Any sane person would take steps to minimise problems in their own house. Of course I'd try and dry out the cabinets until the assessor came - most sane people would I imagine.

              Even when the contractor contacted me for an inspection they were booked out 2 weeks ahead and had to align it around days I could work from home or take annual leave to meet them.

              • Blitzfx on 09/07/2022 - 23:17

                @eek: Imagine if something caught fire and you let the house burn down and called insurance first instead of putting out the flames lol

      • JimmyF on 08/07/2022 - 13:43
        +3

        ok, so yeah so that sounds like it is a bit of a mess then. I would push back on AAMI re the slow leak and ask why they are saying it is a slow leak. If its the mold then push back and say it was 3 months between leaking/claim and inspection, hence the mold grew.

        Realistically how would they determine if it was leaking before the event on the day?

        Generally mold and moisture level readings of the slab. aka if the slab has moisture level/wet, then this is a slow leak that has been soaking in to the slab over a long time. As normally a one off water event won't soak in instantly.

        • eek on 08/07/2022 - 13:54
          +3

          I feel like they'd fob me off saying I'm not qualified to make such observations. Perhaps I need to approach some other kind of professional builder/insurance assessor type to refute their decision? More cash out of my pocket to do so as well.

          • thatonethere on 08/07/2022 - 14:01

            @eek: Given it is a lot of money might be worth getting your own assessor in for second opinion and a report.

            Either way you will either have something to beat up the insurer with - or you have 2 people saying it was a slow leak.

  • Darayus on 08/07/2022 - 13:45
    +3

    Atleast tell us DW company so that we avoid buying the same in the same line you mentioned about AAMI.

    I had burn myfingers with AAMI and that was the last time I was with them and never for any insurance.

    • eek on 08/07/2022 - 13:46

      Beko dishwasher. Dishwasher itself is fine. Just the fitting at the very end of the hose where it connects to the tap was faulty. I suspect there might be multiple dishwashers out there that may use the same plastic end fitting - looks pretty generic. Unlucky.

      • FoxJump on 08/07/2022 - 13:56

        so what broke?

        Dishewasher | hose | tap

                          ^-- there ?

        NB: Ascii art is tricky in ozbargain

        • eek on 08/07/2022 - 14:02
          +1

          https://ibb.co/MS6MDDR

          Between the red coupling and the white plastic section also white plastic section and big grey valve.

          • FoxJump on 08/07/2022 - 14:48

            @eek: So .. its either a manufacturing fault, or it was overtightened.
            Regardless, it is not a leak, the fitting burst and broke suddenly. It didnt develop over time.

            Tricky boat to be in.

            Regardless, lodge a fairtrading complaint against your insurance company.

  • Darayus on 08/07/2022 - 13:50
    +2

    I think you need to engage a lawyer to send a notice for a claim for loss and damage to DW company as well as AAMI. because every manufacturer has public liability insurance and product failure insurance. Once the lawyer's notice will go they will forward it to their insurance department to close the matter.

  • askme69 on 08/07/2022 - 13:53

    Seen plenty of these and also from fridges with water dispensers. Generally the water gets under the tiles and in some cases ( when tiles can't be sourced that match) The person gets the entire house new tiled or new floating flooring. These leaks generally run to around $60-70k to fix.

    • eek on 08/07/2022 - 14:04

      Haven't noticed any mold or tiles loosening etc. The tiles are maybe 5 years old. Water definitely did travel under the tiles and leaked out into my garage. Moisture readings show all the tiles are now dry. Just the cabinets are wet.

  • FoxJump on 08/07/2022 - 14:49
    +7

    note to self: add a moisture alarm under the sink.

  • KeplersLaws on 08/07/2022 - 15:29
    +2

    i am sorry for what has happened OP, all the best. my sink has so many adapters and fittings and to think a bit of teflon tape and not tight enough screwing is what stands between me and an enormous bill is quite frightening. will definitely be doing like the commenter above and getting a water leak sensor. got a current aqara setup so should be easy

    everyone probably should do the same for other contingencies too like fire — my nest protect seems to be doing well

  • zombrex on 08/07/2022 - 17:02
    +19

    Insurance companies are the absolute scum of the earth.
    They should honour claims like this in good faith.
    Instead of doing everything in their power to help customers, they do everything in their power to weasel out of paying money, totally corrupt industry in my humble opinion. But not surprising considering they have a vested interest in not paying out.

    • spackbace on 08/07/2022 - 17:43
      -6

      They're a business, what do you expect? If every customer paid less per year, than what the insurance company paid out, the company would collapse…

      • iNeed2Pee on 08/07/2022 - 18:08
        +5

        Happy to take your money, but will find any excuse not to give it back lol.

        • spackbace on 08/07/2022 - 18:09
          -2

          Like taxes!

          • iNeed2Pee on 08/07/2022 - 18:11
            +3

            @spackbace: Honestly, threads like this make me sick thinking about it. I am with AAMI and I have looked at the pds many times before, but in reality is there any insurance company out there that is not similar?

            I mean every pds I have read in my life are nearly identical because the under writer is the same.

            • spackbace on 08/07/2022 - 18:13

              @iNeed2Pee: Pretty much, really gotta make sure you dot the i's etc

              • iNeed2Pee on 08/07/2022 - 18:14
                +1

                @spackbace: According to the PDS this problem is covered. Weird, ill post below so I don't overtake this reply.

      • zombrex on 08/07/2022 - 19:15
        +1

        Isn't it a problem that the service the business is offering is antithetical to the actions the business needs to take to make the most profit?
        It's unique in the business world amongst insurance companies.
        I can't even think of a good analogy to think of it in other sectors.

        I'm usually totally against regulation but there needs to be something done because what is increased profits for these companies is the destruction of people's hopes and dreams.
        There are so many stories of people who lose everything and get denied payouts based on technicalities.

        • Korban Dallas on 10/07/2022 - 16:58

          Unless you call a current affair.

    • eek on 08/07/2022 - 18:51
      +6

      Absolutely they will do their best to reject all claims. The case manager never told me about any of the assessment reports from the contractor. Just called me today to say the decision has been made to reject the claim and case is now closed. Case managers no longer have the ability to even physically review or change the decision. She just said I can go through the motions of appealing the case through their complaints department or going to a third party (lawyer/AFAC) but it's out of her hands now. Goodluck.

      Called through to their complaints department today…..called 9 times today and went to a voicemail box each time. Excellent.

      • Spectacular on 10/07/2022 - 17:17
        +3

        They should have an internal complaints/review process (which is generally required before things can go to a third party), during which time you can ask for copies of all contractor docs and any information they used to base their decision on. Do this in writing asap, I wouldn't bother with calling. I've done this with medical and travel insurance, they're deliberately slow and try to fob you off hoping you'll give up, but stick with it and you generally get a win.

  • iNeed2Pee on 08/07/2022 - 18:14
    +5

    The PDS is showing it is covered OP:

    Escape of liquid
    We
    cover
    Loss or damage caused by liquid leaking, overflowing or bursting from
    any of the following:
    • refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines;
    • any drain, fixed pipes, drainage and sewage systems (not forming
    part of a shower cubicle wall, floor or base);
    • fixed tanks;
    • swimming pools or spas;
    • waterbeds;
    • baths, sinks, toilets and basins (but not showers);
    • fixed heating or cooling system;
    • water main, fire hydrant or water supply pipe;
    • tap spindles;
    • an aquarium.
    Exploratory costs
    We will pay the reasonable cost of locating, at the insured address,
    the source of the escaped liquid and to repair and restore the damage
    to the building caused by the exploratory work but only if the escape
    of liquid is covered under this insured event. If the leak is not covered
    under this insured event, we provide some limited cover for exploratory
    costs under additional cover ‘Exploratory costs where a leak is not
    covered under insured event ‘Escape of liquid’ see page 63.

    Nothing in the PDS comes under the word "slow".

    • eek on 08/07/2022 - 18:46
      +1

      Maybe it needs to be a specific flow rate to differentiate between a leak and a burst?

    • eek on 08/07/2022 - 19:13
      +1

      When I spoke to the contractor doing the inspection at my house, they were happy the slab was dry and cabinets were wet and shouldn't have any issues with the claim. I told them leak was identified and stopped within a day.

      However…the report from the contractor I finally get to read after the case has been rejected and closed shows they said the leak had been happening for 1 month!??? The report also says I might be able to get compensation from dishwasher manufacturer and recommend AAMI reject the claim. Probably a reason why AAMI chose this contractor?

      Clause AAMI is quoting to reject claim based on contractor saying the hose was leaking for 1 month:

      Your Policy:
      The circumstances of your loss have been reviewed under the above noted policy and reference
      is made to the following in your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS):
      Page 47 & 48
      "Escape of Liquid
      We don't cover
      • wear, tear and gradual deterioration or loss or damage by the escape of liquid occurring as a
      result of a gradual process of leaking, splashing, dripping or overflowing
      • loss or damage caused by wear, tear and gradual deterioration, rust, fading, rising damp,
      mould, mildew, corrosion, rot."

      • iNeed2Pee on 08/07/2022 - 20:30
        +12

        I would be escalating this with the complaints department, and any other possible avenue.
        I think its totally unjust to assume it is a one month leak.

        Threaten them with an ombudsman. AFCA anything possible.

        • MrFrugalSpend on 09/07/2022 - 11:11
          +1

          Agree - Ombudsman.

          Get plumber and everyone involved to write a statement that says it must have been sudden.
          Even if there was a slow leak, irrelevant.
          It became a burst that caused the damage in the one day.
          You need to gather evidence of that

      • noz on 10/07/2022 - 14:56
        +2

        I'm with CGU, and they also cover "Escape of Liquid". However they don't seem to have those wishy-washy exclusions that AAMI seems to have. When I looked around, only very few insurers seemed to cover escape of liquid damage at all.

        • imurgod on 11/07/2022 - 10:48

          CGU have a half decent decent wording

  • jpl on 08/07/2022 - 19:53
    +3

    Bring both manufacturer and AAMI to QCAT and let QCAT decide.

  • FoxJump on 08/07/2022 - 21:17
    +9

    Tell them Ozbargain is gonna boycott Aami and Beko !

    • Needausername on 09/07/2022 - 16:35

      If water involved and inside the house, best to get a reliable brand.

      • eek on 09/07/2022 - 23:36
        +1

        I've had a German made Bosch, Miele, Samsung,SMEG dishwashers which have all failed. None had hose failures like this one.

        • Needausername on 10/07/2022 - 00:21

          Sorry, what I meant is the reliable brands come with anti flood device built into the hose. I think it prevent water flow into the unit if it's not running.

          • derrida derider on 10/07/2022 - 11:37

            @Needausername: My cheap-and-cheerful-Chinese "landlord special" dishwasher has one of these (has surprisingly good quality hose fittings too).

            I don't think they sell dishwashers without them these days. It would be false economy to do so in countries with reasonable consumer laws - the cost of paying up for a flood would wipe out the profit from selling an awful lot of dishwashers.

          • eek on 10/07/2022 - 16:57

            @Needausername: Oh mine has this feature but in this case wouldn't have helped as the leak was upstream of the dishwasher's valve

  • Katykate on 09/07/2022 - 08:46
    +6

    Take it to AFCA… free service that can help or give you some closure on it.

    • eek on 09/07/2022 - 23:11

      AAMI are encouraging I take it through their internal complaints department. The actual phone number goes straight to a voicemail box. Left at least 6 voicemail messages - still no response yet. Guess I'll try via email too, but not looking promising lol

  • Rako on 09/07/2022 - 09:20
    +4

    I found this on a plumbing website
    "Occurrences like burst pipes and storm/flood damage are usually classed as sudden and accidental damage (and are covered by insurance) whereas slow plumbing leaks are usually classed as gradual water damage (and not covered by insurance)."
    https://www.everydayplumbing.com.au/plumber/information/will…

  • htc on 09/07/2022 - 11:29

    After reading this, is it advisable and possible to turn off the tap connecting to the dishwasher after using it each time?

    • nwa on 09/07/2022 - 12:30
      +3

      Sounds cumbersome, better to place a leak detector underneath sinks probably both wifi and audible version incase you are not near your phone or away and someone else at home.

      • Davo1111 on 09/07/2022 - 13:05
        -1

        The thing that concerns me about these detectors is that they would be easy to forget if you change phones/wifi etc.

        I do like the idea of the battery operated ones that operate independently like a smoke alarm.

        • stickyfingers on 10/07/2022 - 02:24

          If setup correctly they will alert you to any issues (disconnection, low battery).

          They also usually use Zigbee so are extremely low power and can last months, if not years.

          (didn't neg you by the way)

          • Davo1111 on 10/07/2022 - 09:24
            +1

            @stickyfingers: Ta, yeah ZigBee needs a receiver/base to link it to your wifi. So while a great protocol, there's still a risk of failure.

            I can see the average person forgetting to relink it after a phone or wifi upgrade.

            I had a look last night, there seems to be quite a few that run on a 9v battery and chirp. I'd just go down that path and take the chance.

      • solidussnake on 10/07/2022 - 09:29

        You shouldn't have to do anything like this…

    • Davo1111 on 09/07/2022 - 12:58

      I looked this up on YouTube months ago and there are various products that look at power draw for the device and turn on/off the water. Also as mentioned below you can get leak alarms.

      Apart from the dishwasher, every appliance is installed around drains. my dishwasher is in the laundry (due to size of rental) and I turn it off each time because it's old.

      If you cared that much, I'd get a water leak alarm. However depending on the setup I'm not convinced it would detect the leak in the first place. I'd be more inclined to get a drip tray for the device. (Our water heater has one that overflows outside the house)

    • eek on 09/07/2022 - 23:14

      Would have to apply to washing machine and fridge water filter system too. Wait. But what if the shut off valve fails or tap wears out from too many on/off cycles? Need another valve upstream.

  • Yola on 09/07/2022 - 12:28
    +1

    I am with GIO and had made 2 similar claims a few years back. One was leaks from the dishwasher and fridge which necessitated the replacement of the oak parquetry floor to a room 12x6 meters. The assessor came never questioned me about the type of leak. Claim approved would have cost a bomb. A few years later noticed the same floorboards started lifting around the sink. GIO considered that the previous contractor did not do a good job. A few weeks later the hot water system failed and turned out hot water had been leaking under the house and it was full of water. The plumber wrote that a copper pipe had burst. Claim accepted even though I had been talking to them for over 1 month about damage to the floor so maybe was a slow leak. Several floor boards were replaced and the whole room had to be repolished. The repairs would have cost a lot and they did not scrimp but the administrative process was a mess. One of the contractors asked to quote did not turn up and did not return their calls and they refused to send another even though originally they said I could pick one. Lots of other issues where they did not listen to me and it cost them more. A stressful experience compounded by not having dedicated claims offices and having to explain the whole story each time. Had the feeling each person did the bare minimum and when that did not work someone else would have to handle it next.

    • eek on 09/07/2022 - 23:19
      +2

      Damn, sorry to hear! But it sounds like you got the result you wanted at the end, even if the process was painful.

      Three of the personnel from the contractors employed by AAMI (Ambrose Building) all seemed to agree that the cabinets had been damaged, tiles and slab was dry and insurance should be able to replace the kitchen no worries. Also mentioned potential remediation works maybe required once they start demolition and find more water damage to Gyprock / insulation / behind cabinets.

      After inspection AAMI was silent for about 4 weeks, then get a call from the claims manager saying it's been rejected because the inspector from Ambrose Building said it's been leaking for 1 month. Claim closed, can't do anything to change the decision, take it up with complaints department or AFCA. Goodluck and goodbye.

  • atwilliams on 09/07/2022 - 13:12
    +8

    Whilst this won't help with your AAMI claim, I have learnt over the years that wherever you have water indoors, you need something to help you detect a leak. For dishwashers this is pretty straight forward. In the cupboard where the dishwasher pipes connect, I place a metal baking tray under that connection point (to catch any drips). The tray is angled slightly so that if they build up, the water will flow out of the front of the cupboard (and not pool silently at the back of the cupboard) …. thus alerting you much more quickly to an issue (as there is water on the floor in front of that cupboard). In my kitchen set-up, all of the water connections are in the same cupboard, so this is covering potential leaks for 3 water connections (hot, cold & dishwasher) and 2 waste outlets (sink and dishwasher). This has saved me alot of hassle over the years. Takes about 10 mins to set-up (depending on how much crap you have in your cupboard!)

    Just mentioning. Best of luck with your claim OP.

    • txb on 10/07/2022 - 14:00

      Great simple idea, thanks

    • samfisher5986 on 11/07/2022 - 15:28

      Doesn't your solution only help detect a leak, rather then a burst?

      • atwilliams on 12/07/2022 - 11:29

        Yes. That's the point. Slow leaks are hard to detect. I don't know about you, but I've always found indoor burst pipes are quite easy to detect due to the volume of water and the sound of the running water!

        • samfisher5986 on 12/07/2022 - 12:55

          Yes but burst pipes are only notices when you aren't at work… sleeping at night, at a restaurant, on holiday at the supermarket etc.

          I'm way more worried about burst pipes as they can cause a lot of damage in 30 minutes but a leak can be resolved by some occasional checking of pipes.

  • 82norm on 09/07/2022 - 13:21
    +2

    Can you cause a cooking accident in the kitchen (fire), stove. Then put through another claim. Absolute scums. Consider ACA, get some social media attention, nothing is worse than bad media.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/07/2022 - 16:15
      -2

      That's insurance fraud

  • taoz on 09/07/2022 - 13:27
    +2

    Feel for you OP.
    Aami/Suncorp will do anything they can to get out of this.
    Push back, lodge with the ombudsman or local fair trading.
    Have had issues with them also and will not insure sith them again.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/07/2022 - 14:07
      +2

      Aami/Suncorp will do anything they can to get out of this.

      In much the same way as some insured parties will do anything they can to make something a valid claimable event.

      OP - just go to AFCA. It's what they're there for.

  • magpuy on 09/07/2022 - 13:34
    +3

    OP needs to go through their Product Disclosure Statement (PDS, Contract, fine print, call it what you will) and carefully read the sections that cover "escape of liquid". If they then get back to AAMI and use the vocabulary they find in the PDS, they will apper to be speaking the same language as the insurance folks and their documentation. I'm no expert, I was an AAMI call-centre droid in a previous job. My recollection of the AAMI PDS is going to be sketchy, and I don't have the time to invest in doing OP's research for them. It may help you to get the PDS in electronic form (PDF download) and use the reader search tools to find the phrases. YOU need to read that document and be thoroughly familiar with the contents before you make a claim.Rejections often happen because the claimant uses the wrong words. Describe the claim in terms of the PDS and you have a better chance of a successful claim.

    • imurgod on 09/07/2022 - 16:31
      +1

      Perfectly put

    • eek on 09/07/2022 - 23:26
      +1

      Yep, I think it's a terminology issue and potential miscommunication to the contractor AAMI employed to inspect the house. AAMI has outlined the section in the PDS they're using to invalidate the claim. States slow escape of liquid - however it does not give a quantitative measure as to what a slow escape of liquid is, other than dripping and splashing. Looks like I have to make it sound a lot more serious. No it wasn't directly spraying in my face like a burst water main, but it wasn't a slow leak by any means.

      • imurgod on 11/07/2022 - 10:55
        +2

        Challenge it mate. I assure you, you'll win.

        I've never actually known of a gradual leak when it comes to fridges and so on, since you notice the liquid pretty quickly.

        What you need to do is:

        1. Get your own trade to do a quote and report for the job
        2. Get AAMI to tell you where in their PDS it defines the term "gradual"

        You will get this paid without too much fuss.

  • backpaqer on 09/07/2022 - 14:49
    +3

    Welcome to the new world. Flexible hosing on everything, nobody designs floor drains any more for when these break. If you read the instructions for washing machines etc they recommend you turn them off at the tap when not in use, Miele make hoses within hoses that lock themselves up if a leak or burst is detected.

    But yeah… Insurance company being an insurance company. Before lodging a claim read thru fine print and try figure out every possible way they could wiggle out of it and get your ducks lined up. My insurance claims usually run to at least 30 pages covering every possible angle to "help" them come up with right decision.

    • derrida derider on 10/07/2022 - 11:46

      "Miele make hoses within hoses that lock themselves up if a leak or burst is detected."
      This is OzBargain. You can do that much cheaper than Miele - https://www.bunnings.com.au/boston-2m-burst-alert-washing-ma…

      • eek on 11/07/2022 - 13:13

        In my case I can't use a hose like that. The inlet hose has a bulky valve built into the end which threads onto the tap. I believe it's a on/off valve to control flow to the machine. It's integrated into the hose and was swapped out by Beko under warranty. No more water escaping now.

  • logistics on 09/07/2022 - 17:23
    +1

    No insurance company covers 'leaks'. The stuff you would want to be covered for, you don't.

    You need to argue your case that it was a burst and not a leak.

    • meowsers on 09/07/2022 - 20:36

      Plenty of insurance companies cover leaks.

      • logistics on 09/07/2022 - 21:39
        +1

        Can you name one? I'll take a look at their PDS and consider switching.

        I am yet to come across one and I have looked at a few. Most of the companies are owned by Suncorp and IAG and they have similar PDSs.

        edit: I just saw your other reply further down.
        Thanks

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