QUESTION:
A client had a bird nest under some roof tiles which caused water to get into a lounge ceiling. The property is the insured's weekend home and the water damage to the ceiling was not found until the following weekend. the insurer is stating it is gradual damage, and because the damage is not from an internal water or waste disposal pipe they are refusing to accept the claim. My question is ... what is damage gradual in nature, especially in a circumstance such as this?
Crossley Gates replies:
The word 'gradual' is an adjective and is describing the nature of the damage. The definition of the word is: 'taking place, changing, moving, etc., by small degrees or little by little.
The item damaged is a ceiling, so if the water damage progressed little by little across the ceiling, I suggest the adjective is probably apt - the ceiling was damaged gradually.
It looks like it wouldn't have been covered anyway because the water was external rain water (presumably).
