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 your ceilings, walls, flooring, and furniture, and the excesses that stack up, it can quickly run into tens of thousands of rand if it isn’t handled properly.

Here is what is actually covered, what isn’t, and exactly what to do in the first hour after you discover a leak.

Is a burst geyser covered by my 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 out under a ‘geyser’ or ‘water apparatus’ section of your policy. The damage that the leaking water then causes to your ceiling, paint, flooring, electrics, and contents is paid out under the ‘resultant damage’ section. They are different sub-limits and different excesses.

What excesses can I 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. We call this an accumulative excess. As a worked example (figures will vary by insurer and policy):

• Basic excess: R2,000
• Voluntary excess: R500
• Specific event excess (water damage): R1,000
• Geyser excess: R1,000
• Resultant damage excess: R1,500
• Total payable upfront: R6,000

That R6,000 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 us about adjusting the voluntary excess at your next renewal.

What the first hour looks like

• 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 the floor, soaked carpets, damaged furniture. Take more than you think you need.
• Move undamaged contents away from wet areas to limit further damage. Insurers will not pay for damage that worsened because you didn’t act.
• Phone us. The 24-hour Graham Silva emergency line – 0861-1-GRAHAM (0861-147-2426) – connects you to assistance after hours, including approved plumbers in some areas.

What is NOT covered

• Wear and tear. If the geyser was clearly past its useful life and hadn’t been maintained, the insurer can argue it was a gradual failure.
• Compromised waterproofing. If a flat roof, balcony, or wet area waterproofing has perished, that’s maintenance – not an insurance event.
• Consequential losses outside the policy. Loss of use, alternative accommodation, and business interruption are only covered if the policy specifies them.
• Maintenance items like worn washers, leaking taps left unattended, slow drips that have caused damage over months.

Documents you’ll need to claim

• Proof of ownership of the property and contents.
• Photographs from the day of the loss.
• Plumber’s report identifying the cause of failure.
• Quotes for repair (your insurer may appoint their own panel).
• Your policy schedule and ID.

Geyser blankets, drip trays and a plumber on speed dial

Most insurers offer either a discount on premium or a higher payout if you have a drip tray, vacuum-breakers and an overflow pipe correctly installed. These are also the things insurers look for when investigating claims. Make sure the installation was done by a registered plumber, and keep the certificate of compliance.

How Graham Silva 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. If your geyser has just gone, stop reading and phone the emergency line.