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Damage to your log home caused by freezing pipes.

It was early March and John Lazwik's family couldn't wait to spend spring break at their beloved northeastern cabin. When they stuck their key in the lock and swung open the door, however, their mouths hit the squishy floor. Much of their cabin and its contents were saturated, apparently due to pipes that had frozen, burst, and then thawed.

It wasn't clear at first if insurance would pay. The claims examiner had to inspect the property to determine the cause of loss. What kind of shape were the pipes in? Had the Lazwiks performed routine maintenance to the pipes, checking periodically for water leakage and rust spots? (Note: If you're away from your cabin for extended periods of time, you may want to look into technologies such as temperature sensors that can monitor your piping system and detect various problems in your pipes including leaks or low pressure.)

(And another note if you're away from your cabin for weeks or months at a time: Check your policy for occupancy requirements. Some policies won't cover this type of damage if no one was in the dwelling within a specific time frame.)

Exclusions to your log cabin insurance

Every carrier is different, but for the most part insurance companies pay for a certain number of circumstances termed "covered causes of loss." Even so, all "covered causes of loss" are subject to various exclusions including, for instance, "intention of loss" (e.g., purposefully setting a fire to collect insurance money), or "wear and tear" (e.g., neglecting to perform normal upkeep to your pipes).

In the Lazwiks' case, insurance paid for the damage because the Northeast had experienced record low temperatures that winter. However, when the claims examiner inspected the 25-year-old pipes, he found that some had rust spots, so he suggested the Lazwiks replace the old pipes, which they promptly did. It was a wise choice, not only to help prevent future disaster but also because if the same thing happened again anytime soon, insurance would likely cite negligence and not pay a cent.

Insurance is made to cover events that you don't anticipate and can't keep from happening no matter what you do," explains Matthew Cullina, property team manager for product development with MetLife Insurance in Warwick, R.I. "Maintenance, however, is in your control.

Don't confuse an insurance policy with a household maintenance fund.

March 2006 issue of Cabin Life magazine. By Christy Heitger-Casbon.

Damage caused by freezing pipes?