You may be able to claim for damage resulting from a gas leak, but cover depends on your home insurance policy, the cause and the damage. A policy may cover an insured event such as a fire or explosion while excluding the leaking pipe, faulty appliance or maintenance-related gas leak itself. Your insurer must confirm what is covered.
Which costs might be covered?
Resulting building or contents damage may be covered even when repairing the source of the leak is not. For example, fire damage caused by a failed gas connection may be assessed separately from the cost of replacing that connection.
Your insurer may treat each of these costs differently:
- repairing the leaking pipe, connection or appliance;
- locating or investigating the leak;
- replacing the faulty appliance or component;
- repairing fire, smoke or other resulting property damage.
Cover may be excluded for corrosion, gradual deterioration, poor maintenance, known faults or wear and tear. Optional accidental damage cover may affect the assessment, but it does not guarantee cover for every gas-leak-related cost.
Check your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), policy schedule, insured events, exclusions, limits and excess. Ask the insurer separately about resulting damage, investigation costs and repair of the defective pipe or appliance.
What should you do before lodging a claim?
Make the area safe first, then document the damage and notify your insurer promptly.
- Leave immediately if you smell gas or suspect a leak: Do not smoke, use flames, start a nearby vehicle or operate electrical switches. Keep others away and call Triple Zero (000) from a safe place if there is a fire or immediate danger.
- Contact your property’s gas distributor from a safe location: Its emergency number should appear on your gas bill. Follow its instructions and do not re-enter the affected area.
- Do not test, locate or repair the leak yourself: Arrange an appropriately licensed gas fitter to isolate the supply and make the installation safe. Emergency safety work should not wait for claim approval.
- Limit further property damage only when safe: Do not enter an unsafe area or handle components the gas fitter considers dangerous.
- Preserve evidence: Photograph visible damage from a safe location and retain reports, itemised invoices, receipts and correspondence. Ask before disposing of removed parts, unless keeping them would be unsafe.
- Contact your insurer promptly: Ask whether approval or an assessor is required before non-urgent demolition, disposal or restoration. Report what you observed without guessing at the cause.
What can a licensed gas fitter provide?
A licensed gas fitter can make the installation safe, investigate the fault, complete necessary repairs and document the observed condition and work performed. An itemised report or invoice may support your claim, but the gas fitter cannot interpret your policy conclusively or guarantee approval.
Gas fitting and repair work in NSW requires an appropriately licensed tradesperson. If you suspect a leak in Sydney, move to safety and follow the distributor’s emergency guidance. Once those emergency instructions have been followed, contact our licensed gas leak detection and repair team.