What trace and access covers
Trace and access is a section of many buildings insurance policies. It usually pays the reasonable cost of:
- Tracing the source of an escape of water, which is the leak detection survey.
- Accessing it: lifting the floor finish, breaking the screed or concrete, or lifting boards to reach the pipe.
- Making good the area that was opened, on some policies.
It is not included as standard on every policy, and the limit varies. Some policies only pay once damage has already happened. Your policy wording or your insurer is the only reliable answer for your home.
The three parts of a claim
A leak under a floor usually involves three separate costs, and insurers treat them differently:
| Cost | Usually covered by |
|---|---|
| Finding the leak and opening the floor | Trace and access cover, where the policy has it |
| Repairing the pipe or fitting | Usually not covered by the policy; paid by the homeowner |
| Damage caused by the water: flooring, screed, plaster, drying | The escape of water section of buildings and contents insurance, subject to the excess |
Before you book
- Read the trace and access section of your buildings policy, or ring the claims line and ask whether it applies and what the limit is.
- Ask whether they want to appoint someone or are happy for you to arrange the survey. Some insurers have their own contractors.
- Get a claim reference if you are claiming, and note the excess.
- Take photos of the damage before anything is moved or cleaned.
The report for your insurer
After the survey ADI provides a written report of the investigation: what was tested, what each method showed, where the leak was found and what was done. You can send it to your insurer or loss adjuster to support the claim. Reviewers on Trustpilot mention reports being shared with their insurer.
The report records what the engineer found. Whether the insurer accepts a claim is their decision under your policy.
If you have no cover
Without trace and access cover you pay for the survey yourself. The office will talk you through what the survey involves before anything is booked.
Opening a floor on guesswork can miss the leak and leave more to repair. Finding the spot first keeps the opening, and the making good, as small as possible.
