I have instigated an insurance claim for a leaking shower.

It is a walk in shower rough 2mx1.4mx.9m

Unfortunately the mixer shower has been leaking for some time behind the tiles. The plasterboard has disintegrated, the hard board the shower tray sits on has disintegrated.

Loss adjuster came out and said that they would pay for a new shower tray, tiles, and all work needed doing to do that, but nothing more.

We have submitted the one quote we have received so far, which has come in at £3.6k (both initially said £2.5k +) . Both plumbers have said that the tray and screens need replacing, as the screens never come out and go back in without bending. Both also said that everything ie the mixer shower needs replacing, and the plumbing to it as it was poorly done in the first place + you don’t mix old and new stuff together as it looks rubbish.

Insurance are now saying they do not have to make good any poor workmanship (not covered under insurance), and that if the screen is damaged taking it out, that isn’t for them to pay.

Both plumbers say they wouldn’t guarantee work if they had to mix old with new.

So who’s right and who’s wrong ??

My thought is that I pay £100’s for insurance, have never claimed before, and now there has been a genuine problem they are saying I should have a hatchet job done on the bathroom 🙁

Insurance company are liable for damage caused by the leak and putting the bathroom back together.
You are liable for the pipework and/or mixer i.e the wear and tear item that caused the damage.
Do they not have their own team of contractors to do the work?

When it happened to us, we had to put in two claims with the same insurer. One was for contents, the other was for buildings.

At the time I thought it was just a scam to get a double excess out of us.

We also had to paid for the new shower ourselves.

If the shower had been damaged by something then it would be covered as your claim would be for the event that caused the damage.

As it was the shower plumbing that failed due to age or poor installation only the damage that it caused is for the insurance to sort.

If you had a policy specifically covering wear and poor installation then that would cover he shower but that is not what your home insurance is for.

Same way an appliance warranty might exclude damage as a result of something failing. They will fix/replace the appliance but not sort your flooded kitchen for example. That part would be for your insurance to do.

Why are you claiming on insurance, who’s at fault?

Not very well installed Bathroom has worn out. I want a new one on insurance is how your post comes across to me.

No it’s not worn out, a leak behind the tiles has ruined the plaster board and floor boards.

Therefore the tiles, shower, shower tray etc all have to come out so the water damaged stuff can be replaced. We have been told the tray will not survive being taken out as its cemented in place, the shower screens are unlikely to come out without being damaged. The shower was poorly installed so they need to redo the plumbing.

Both people who have been out say if they don’t do it all properly, chances are something will go wrong again.

I note the comments above. If we have to pay for a new shower, fair enough I guess.

“Insurance are now saying they do not have to make good any poor workmanship (not covered under insurance), “

A leak is one thing – poorly installed is an entirely different thing – a bit like not maintaining my roof vs storm damage.

You may have shot your self in the foot by playing the poorly installed card.