What to do if you have been flooded or have flooded your neighbours?

Unfortunately, flooding is one of the most serious problems faced by apartment owners. Find out what to do if you are flooded or flood your neighbours, and how to avoid significant financial losses

Apartment insurance against damage, destruction and theft

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Flooding in an apartment is one of the most unpleasant situations you can encounter. It always comes unexpectedly, is messy and costly. It doesn't matter whether you are the victim or have accidentally caused trouble for your downstairs neighbours. At times like these, the main thing is to act quickly and correctly to minimise losses and avoid long-term conflicts. But what exactly should you do when water starts flooding your home or someone else's?

What to do if your home is flooded?

If you notice that your apartment is flooding, follow these steps:

1. Immediately shut off the water supply. If the leak is coming from your pipes, turn off the water supply to your flat. If the water is coming from your neighbours above, try to contact them. If they are not at home, contact the maintenance company (housing office, homeowners' association) or emergency services to have the main water supply shut off.

2. Disconnect the power supply. Turn off the electricity at the fuse box to avoid short circuits and electric shock. This is critical because water and electricity are a dangerous combination.

3. Document the damage. Start taking photos and videos of all the damage: ceiling, walls, floor, furniture, appliances. Do this immediately, before the water dries up.

4. Call a representative of the housing and utilities department/homeowners' association. It is important that they record the fact of the flooding and its causes in an official Flood Report. This document is key to further compensation for damages. Make sure that the report clearly states the date, time, cause of the flooding (if it can be determined), a list of damages, and the responsible party.

Should you call the police?

In most cases, it is not necessary to call the police because of flooding in your apartment. The police usually deal with criminal offences. Flooding is a civil dispute. Your main goal is to obtain a Flood Report from the housing maintenance company/homeowners' association, which is an official document for settlement. If a situation arises that has signs of a criminal offence (for example, neighbours deliberately damaged the pipes), then you can consider calling the police.

Rules for communicating with neighbours

Open and calm communication with neighbours is the key to a quick resolution of the problem.

1. Stay calm and objective. Don't give in to your emotions. Even if you are very angry, try to talk to your neighbours calmly and constructively.

2. Document and negotiate. Show them photos and videos of the damage and suggest discussing the amount of compensation. They may agree to compensate you voluntarily.

3. Settlement agreement. If your neighbours are willing to cooperate, draw up a written settlement agreement specifying the amount of compensation and the terms of payment. This will give you legal guarantees.

4. Going to court. If your neighbours refuse to compensate you or avoid contact, you have the right to go to court. To do this, you will need: a report of the flooding, photo/video evidence, a repair estimate (which can be obtained from construction companies) and other documents confirming the damage.

What to do if you flood your neighbours?

If you discover that your flat is the source of the flood, proceed as follows:

1. Immediately shut off the water supply. This is the first and most important thing to do. Find the source of the leak and fix it.

2. Offer to help your neighbours. Go down to the affected neighbours, apologise for the inconvenience and offer to help clean up (e.g. mop up the water).

3. Call the housing maintenance service/homeowners' association. Be sure to call a representative of the service company to draw up a flood report, which will state that the source of the flooding is your apartment. This is important for all parties.

4. Try to negotiate compensation. Offer to compensate for the damage voluntarily. An out-of-court settlement may be cheaper and preserve good relations with your neighbours.

Who compensates for damage in the event of flooding in an apartment?

As a general rule, the party responsible for the flooding is liable for the damage.

If the leak was caused by a malfunction of the building's utilities (riser, roof), the housing maintenance company or the building's balance holder is liable.

If the flooding was caused by a malfunction of your internal communications (mixer, flexible hose, washing machine, etc.) or your negligence (you forgot to turn off the tap), the owner of the apartment at fault is liable.

Compensation may be paid voluntarily or, in case of refusal, recovered through the courts.

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How to avoid large expenses?

No one is immune to flooding, but you can insure yourself against the financial losses associated with it. This is where property insurance comes in handy.

What is property insurance?

Property insurance is a contract between you and an insurance company, under which the insurance company undertakes to pay you monetary compensation in the event of an insured event, which includes flooding.

It can be useful for both owners and tenants:

For owners: The policy covers damage to your property (repairs, furniture, appliances) caused by flooding, regardless of who is at fault (you, your neighbours or the housing maintenance company). In addition, you can insure your civil liability to third parties. This means that if you flood your neighbours, the insurance company will pay compensation for the damage to your neighbours' property, not you out of your own pocket.

For tenants: Although the tenant is not the owner of the property, they may be interested in insuring their liability to the landlord (owner of the flat) and neighbours. It is also possible to insure your own property located in the rented flat.

How does property insurance help?

Financial protection: This is the most important thing. Insurance covers the cost of repairing and restoring damaged property, allowing you to avoid significant unplanned expenses.

Peace of mind: You know that in the event of flooding, you won't have to deal with all the financial issues on your own.

Quick settlement: Insurance companies have well-established mechanisms for paying compensation, which significantly speeds up the recovery process.

Protection against claims: If you are responsible for the flooding, the insurance company will take care of communicating with the affected party and paying compensation.

What risks does the policy cover?

The policy guarantees you full or partial financial compensation for losses in the event of an insured event.

In 2024, Kyiv became the leader in terms of construction volume. You can find out how much it costs to insure an apartment in Kyiv by following the link.

What does a standard policy usually cover?

– natural disasters (lightning strikes, fires caused by lightning, storms, hurricanes, etc.);

– domestic accidents (fire, gas leaks, smoke, flooding, etc.);

– unlawful acts of malicious persons (damage to property, theft, robbery, etc.).

What is not included in a standard policy?

There is a list of property that is not covered by insurance:

– cash;

– valuables;

– documents;

– books;

– toys;

– paintings and other works of art.

What is extended coverage?

Extended coverage provides additional insurance against risks caused by military actions:

– missile strikes;

– strikes by UAVs and drones;

– explosions of ammunition and mines;

– damage caused by terrorist acts.

How much does property insurance cost?

*Prices are per year (EUR) / one day (UAH)

Flooding is always stressful. But with the right preparation and an insurance policy, you can minimise the negative consequences and get back to normal life faster.

Photo: Freepik

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