Plumbing repairs are almost entirely your responsibility. As a homeowner, you are expected to maintain pipe function and health. You are also expected to cover the costs of repairs yourself. Under a handful of circumstances, your homeowner's insurance may cover the costs, but not the whole bill. 

Why Homeowner's Insurance Doesn't Cover Plumbing Repairs

Plumbing repairs, like any other home repair, isn't part of homeowner's insurance. There are no insurance policies willing to cover the expenses of common, ordinary everyday repairs. If insurance companies did that, they would go broke from the number of claims filed by homeowners. Insurance companies exist to cover emergency situations where things in your home and on your home should not have broken or been damaged and now suddenly are. 

Situations Where Insurance Will Cover Your Plumbing Repairs

There are a few scenarios where your insurance may cover repair costs. Sudden explosions of plumbing, for example, are covered. Pipes that are well-insulated but freeze and explode anyway are covered (although that typically doesn't happen in Alabama). Pipe failure is only covered if your pipes were well-maintained, not rusted out, and somehow soaked or flooded your home. Other situations where related expenses may be covered include flooding as a result of bad pipes and water damage, but not the pipes themselves. 

What Will Cover Plumbing Repairs

Aside from homeowner's insurance you can purchase home warranties. Home warranties cover home system repairs not covered by insurance. Purchase a warranty that specifically covers plumbing repairs and any other items or systems you want covered. Even with home warranty companies, the reason for failure is a factor. For example, if your pipes fail due to age, a warranty claim may be rejected. Check the small print and ask questions!

That way when something does break or malfunction, you can file a warranty claim. The professional sent to your home by the warranty company will assess the situation, order parts, and bill the warranty company for repairs completed. Regardless of how the repairs are made (i.e., insurance or home warranty), you may need to pay some part of the service call or repair bill.

With warranty companies, if you choose a plumbing service who isn't contracted with your warranty company, you may need to pay for the repairs upfront and then have the warranty company reimburse you. Different warranty companies work differently. Some require you to use a plumbing technician in their network, others allow you to choose. Again, ask detailed questions!