Every quotable figure on U.S. water damage claims, payouts, leak waste, and cost trends, each linked to its primary source. Last updated September 13, 2026.
Key takeaways
Eight quotable figures before you keep reading.
- Water damage and freezing cause 27.6% of homeowners claims, second only to wind and hail (ISO via III).
- Water claims average $13,954, and about 1 in 60 insured homes files one each year.
- Water claim severity rose 63.2% since 2019 on inflation and repair labor costs (LexisNexis).
- Household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water a year nationwide (EPA).
- Nine percent of homes leak 50 or more gallons a day, often from worn toilet flappers.
- A faucet dripping once per second wastes over 3,000 gallons a year (EPA).
- Fixing household leaks saves about 10% on water bills (EPA).
- Small leaks precede big claims: frequency fell 7.8% in 2025 while severity kept rising.
How common are water damage claims?
Water damage and freezing cause more than one in four homeowners claims, second only to wind and hail. About 1 in 60 insured homes files one each year.
27.6% More than one in four homeowners claims involves water damage or freezing. (ISO, via Insurance Information Institute, 2022. Source)
$13,954 Water damage and freezing claims average just under $14,000. (ISO, via Insurance Information Institute, 2018-2022 avg. Source)
1 in 60 About 1 in 60 insured homes files a water damage or freezing claim each year. (III calculation from ISO data, 2018-2022 basis. Source)
Are water claims getting costlier?
Yes. Severity rose 63.2% since 2019 on inflation and repair labor, while counts fell 7.8% in 2025. The same fewer but costlier pattern as the rest of the book.
+63.2% Non weather water claim severity rose almost two thirds since 2019. (LexisNexis Risk Solutions, 2026 Home Trends, 2019-2025. Source)
+2.5% Water severity rose 2.5% in one year while frequency fell 7.8%. (LexisNexis Risk Solutions, 2026 Home Trends, 2025. Source)
How much water do household leaks waste?
Nearly 1 trillion gallons a year nationwide. The average home loses over 9,300 gallons a year, and 9% of homes leak 50 or more gallons a day.
~1T gal Household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water a year nationwide. (U.S. EPA WaterSense, current; estimate. Source)
9,300 gal The average household loses more than 9,300 gallons a year to leaks. (U.S. EPA WaterSense, current. Source)
9% Nine percent of homes leak 50 or more gallons a day, often worn toilet flappers. (U.S. EPA WaterSense, current. Source)
3,000 gal A faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. (U.S. EPA WaterSense, current. Source)
500 gal A showerhead leaking 10 drips a minute wastes over 500 gallons a year. (U.S. EPA WaterSense, current. Source)
6,300 gal/mo An irrigation leak the thickness of a dime wastes about 6,300 gallons a month. (U.S. EPA WaterSense, current. Source)
10% Fixing easily corrected household leaks saves about 10% on water bills. (U.S. EPA WaterSense, current. Source)
Does insurance cover mold from water damage?
Mold coverage depends on the source of the water, the policy language, and state rules. No national series tracks mold claim outcomes, so this page does not quote one.
Texas claim rules with statute text All property claim statistics
Methodology
Cause mix and severity are ISO administrative data via III. Trend figures are the LexisNexis industry study. Leak waste figures are EPA WaterSense program data. Nothing here comes from another stats roundup. Last updated September 13, 2026. Next scheduled review January 2027.
Sources for this page
Primary publishers only. Load any link to check the number yourself.
- III homeowners facts and statisticsISO water cause mix, severity, and frequency tables
- 2026 LexisNexis U.S. Home Trends ReportNon weather water loss cost, frequency, and severity trends
- EPA WaterSense Fix a Leak WeekHousehold leak waste volumes and bill savings
Updated November 4, 2026 to reflect substantive changes.
