What your insurance actually covers when a geyser bursts, the excesses you will pay, and the steps to take in the first hour.
A burst geyser is one of the most common, and most expensive, insurance claims in South Africa. Between the geyser itself, the resultant water damage to ceilings, walls, flooring, and furniture, and the excesses that stack up, a single burst geyser can quickly run into tens of thousands of rand if it is not handled properly.
Here is what is actually covered, what is not, and exactly what to do in the first hour after you discover a leak.
Is a burst geyser covered by insurance?
In almost all South African home insurance policies, yes, but in two separate sections with two separate excesses. The geyser itself (the unit, the cylinder, the element, the thermostat) is usually paid under a “geyser” or “water apparatus” section. The damage that the leaking water causes to your ceiling, paint, flooring, electrics, and contents is paid under the “resultant damage” section. They have different sub-limits and different excesses.
What excesses can you expect to pay?
This is where homeowners are caught off-guard. A burst geyser claim usually triggers more than one excess at the same time. This is called an accumulative excess. A worked example (figures vary by insurer and policy):
Typical burst geyser excess breakdown:
- Basic excess: R2,000
- Voluntary excess: R500 (if you’ve selected this option to allow for a lower premium)
- Specific event excess (water damage): R1,000 (on some policies)
- Geyser excess: R1,000
- Resultant damage excess: R1,500
Total payable upfront: R6,000 — this goes to the contractor before the insurer covers the rest.
Knowing this number in advance means you can budget for it. If the figure is uncomfortable, speak to your broker about adjusting the voluntary excess at your next renewal.
What to do in the first hour
- Close the main water stopcock to your house, usually at the boundary or in the garden.
- Switch off the geyser at the DB board to prevent the element burning out dry.
- Take photos of everything: wet ceilings, damp walls, the geyser itself, water on floors, soaked carpets, damaged furniture. Take more than you think you need.
- Move undamaged contents away from wet areas. Insurers will not pay for damage that worsened because you did not act.
- Contact your broker or the emergency claims line immediately.
Graham Silva 24-hour emergency line: 0861-1-GRAHAM (0861-147-2426). This connects you to after-hours assistance, including approved plumbers in some areas.
Geyser blankets, drip trays, and compliance
Most insurers require all geysers to have a drip tray, vacuum-breakers, and an overflow pipe correctly installed. Make sure the installation was done by a registered plumber and that you have the certificate of compliance. These are the things insurers look for when investigating claims. IF the geyser was not insured as per regulation, the insurer may decline your claim.
How a broker helps with a geyser claim
We log the claim, manage the assessor, push back on excess accumulation where we can, and chase the insurer for progress. The claim happens whether we are in the loop or not, but it tends to move faster, and end better, when a broker is involved.
Geyser just burst? Or want to check you’re covered?
We can check your current excess levels, confirm your cover limits, and manage the claim from first contact to final payment.
Related reading
This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Insurance policy terms vary by insurer. Graham Silva Insurance Consultants CC, FSP No. 5671, is an authorised financial services provider regulated by the FSCA.