Off-Topic Discussions

Obviously, you don't burn your house down. There isn't any kind of insurance on the planet that covers intentional acts.

Claiming on anything small (a few thousand or less) isn't worth it because they get more out of you in premiums than you get in a claim.

If you can't afford a few thousand out of pocket in a pinch, then you simply can't afford to own a home and should be renting. Harsh, yes. Judgmental, yes. But also absolutely true.

The same thing for car insurance. Yes, you CAN claim on a minor repair. But you don't because the premiums will be more than what you'd pay out of pocket. You claim on catastrophic damage.

Another thing to consider is that when you make a claim, the insurance company has free run of your property to find faults which you then have to repair or you lose your insurance plus pay a termination penalty.

And if they can find something which relates to your claim...lets say your water heater is out of warranty...well, a water heater is supposed to be replaced when it's factory warranty expires. It's usually 10 years. Look, it's your own fault. And we're terminating your policy. So you get to repair your own water damage, you're now uninsured and have to find a new policy quick (good luck with this on your file) and you have to pay a termination fee because the insurance term wasn't complete.

Or you installed it yourself, and you aren't state certified. Well, that's a penalty from the state as well.

Do you own or rent?

If you own, cut a square of carpet out and see what's underneath. You can always put it back once it's dry. Carpet patches easy.

If you rent, get your landlord to do it.