Thankfully, a home warranty does cover plumbing systems, so you don't have to worry about the specifics of it all. But because it's pressurized, the water supply line can sometimes build up pressure that can burst pipes and lead to other issues.
Doors, windows, and walls
A home warranty is primarily designed to cover systems that require complex repair work, such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. Although doors, windows, and walls are essential components of your home, they do not generally fall under the coverage of a home warranty.
Homeowners insurance typically covers losses resulting from a sudden malfunction, such as a pipe bursting unexpectedly. However, a homeowners policy won't cover slow, constant leaks or other plumbing problems resulting from neglect or improper maintenance.
Some examples of items not covered include: Acts of nature: Home warranties typically don't cover damage caused by natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or other acts of nature. Pest damage: Damage from termites, rodents, or other pests is usually not covered by home warranty plans.
In short, repairs that are not covered under a standard warranty typically fall into two categories: normal wear and tear, and unauthorized modifications or repairs. Normal wear and tear includes things such as scratches, fading, and loose parts.
A home warranty covers plumbing inside the home, so plumbing that is outside the home or under your slab is not covered. Depending on your homeowner's insurance, slab leaks may be covered by your insurance policy. AFC does not cover improperly installed or repaired plumbing.
A home warranty covers repairs for the item causing the leak—such as a broken washing machine or a failed pipe—but doesn't typically pay for water damage to floors, walls, or personal property. For that, you would turn to homeowners insurance if the damage is due to a covered event.
Home warranties can cover repairs for common toilet problems like leaks, clogs, and running water, but it's crucial to read the plan details to understand the extent of the coverage.
In general, a home warranty covers your home's major systems and appliances when they break down from normal wear and tear. An example of a major system would be your HVAC system. An example of a major appliance would be your refrigerator.
A home warranty is a service plan that covers most parts and labor costs to repair or replace major household appliances and system components. Examples can include the furnace, HVAC, plumbing and electrical.
Homeowners insurance usually won't cover damage to your home caused by sewer, septic tank or drain backups. That's unfortunate, because these types of backups can cause thousands—even tens of thousands—of dollars of damage to your personal property.
If the break or hole in pipe occurred within your home's foundation, it may be covered., however, it is not likely that your policy will cover pipe bursts or breaks that occur outside of your home's foundation “footprint”.
Average Flat Rate
Some plumbing jobs are billed at a flat rate. As of 2025, the average plumber rates for larger repairs are typically between $500 to $800, while smaller jobs like repairing toilets, sinks, faucets, or bathtubs typically range from $125 to $350.
Generally, a home warranty won't cover damage caused by the homeowner, including damage due to lack of maintenance, like failing to replace a filter. The policy typically doesn't cover a manufacturer defect, pre-existing issue or items already covered by another warranty, either.
For a fee of $500-$1,000, a home warranty contract typically provides one year of coverage for things such as major appliances, heating systems and plumbing. For additional fees, warranty companies offer optional coverage for pools, wells and other items they do not consider basics.
More than likely, your policy doesn't cover flooding or earthquakes. That makes sense since not all areas of the country are prone to earthquakes or flooding. If you need coverage, you'll need to purchase a policy for whichever you need. Earthquake insurance and flooding insurance are two different policies.
Thankfully, a home warranty does cover plumbing systems, so you don't have to worry about the specifics of it all. But because it's pressurized, the water supply line can sometimes build up pressure that can burst pipes and lead to other issues.
Home warranties don't usually cover structural items, like walls, windows and doors. Depending on your coverage and the age of the home, these items may be covered by a builders warranty or under your homeowners insurance policy.
Common Items Not Covered by Home Warranties
Windows and doors: As part of the structural elements of your home, they fall outside the coverage. Bathtubs and Showers: While associated with your plumbing system, they typically aren't covered due to their structural nature.
Home warranty plumbing coverage for major related issues
But you may not be aware that a home warranty covers plumbing systems too. Warranty coverage for plumbing can include the following: Leaks and breaks of water, drain, gas, waste or vent lines. Pipe repair or replacement.
Sadly, most smartphone brands do not cover water damage even if the smartphone is under warranty.
Generally speaking, home warranties do cover plumbing when issues result from normal wear and tear. Not every plan is created equally, though, so it's important to look at what exactly is covered, especially if you already have a contract.
Does homeowners insurance cover plumbing repairs? Homeowners insurance may cover water damage from a sudden accidental plumbing problem such as a burst pipe. However, it generally won't cover repairs to the pipe. The exception is if pipes are damaged by a fire, storm or another event your policy covers.
Warranty stands void for theft, abuse, misuse, neglect; vandalism, or environmental conditions (fire, floods, rust, corrosion, sand, dirt, windstorm, hail, earthquake, or exposure to weather conditions).
Basically, any water that flows into your home from the ground isn't covered. So rainwater, a surging river and saturated ground aren't covered. Homeowners can purchase separate flood insurance through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), your agent can help with this process.