Portland frozen and burst pipes: getting a water damage claim paid

Portland doesn't freeze often, and that's the problem. Crawlspaces, exterior walls, and garages in older Portland homes often have pipes that were never protected against a hard freeze. When an ice storm knocks out power for days, a burst pipe can flood a house before anyone is home to see it.

"Sudden and accidental" decides most water claims

Most homeowner policies cover water damage that is sudden and accidental, like a pipe that bursts during a freeze. They usually exclude damage that is gradual or repeated, like a slow leak over months. How the loss is described in the first report matters a great deal.

Read the freeze condition in your policy

Many policies only cover freeze damage if you kept the heat on, or shut off and drained the water, while the home was empty. If you lost power in a storm, write down when the outage started and ended. Utility outage records can support your claim.

What to do right away

1. Shut off the main water valve and, if it's safe, the power to wet areas.
2. Photograph and video everything before any cleanup, including the broken pipe itself. Keep the pipe section.
3. Start drying right away. Your policy requires you to prevent further damage, and mold spreads fast.
4. Ask the drying company for its moisture readings and drying logs, and keep copies.
5. Don't let anyone throw out flooring, cabinets, or contents until they've been documented.

How Titus helps

We read your policy's water and freeze provisions, document the loss with moisture readings and samples, and write a line-item scope at Portland rates. We keep you copied on everything we send the insurer and everything that comes back.