Do these four things before anyone talks about money
Get the water stopped
Knock on the door above. If no one answers, call building management or the association's emergency line.
Photograph both units
Your ceiling and walls, and the source upstairs if you can see it.
Tell your insurer and the association
Write down names, times and claim numbers.
Start drying
Waiting for three parties to agree while water sits makes the damage bigger for all of them.
The three scenarios
| Where it started | Usually looks to | Your side |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the unit above, like a toilet, washer or water heater | The upstairs owner and their policy | Your HO-6 covers your unit and things, then may seek repayment |
| A shared element, like a common pipe or the roof | The association and its master policy | Your HO-6 covers what the master policy does not |
| Unknown or disputed | Sorted out later between insurers | Your own policy is the fastest path to repairs |
These are general patterns, not a ruling on your case. Your association's governing documents spell out who maintains which pipes and which parts of the building. Read them, and read the master policy summary.
What your own policy does
Triple-I lists accidental discharge or overflow of water from plumbing or a household appliance as a covered peril on HO-6 condo and HO-4 renters forms. That means your own policy usually covers your side of a sudden leak, often faster than waiting on a neighbor's insurer. Your insurer may then go after the party responsible.
Renters
If you rent, the building belongs to the owner and is the owner's policy. Your renters policy covers your belongings. Tell your landlord in writing right away.
Where valley condos leak
- Toilet supply lines and wax seals in the unit above
- Washer hoses in stacked laundry closets. Braided stainless hoses should be replaced every 3 to 5 years.
- Water heaters in closets, which last about 6 to 12 years
- Attic AC drain lines over top floor units
- Roof leaks into top floor units during monsoon storms
What we do in a two unit leak
We read both units, so each insurer sees where the water went. We dry your ceiling and walls, replace wet drywall and insulation, match texture and paint. You get photos, readings and an estimate written line by line, which every policy involved can use.