# Escape of water vs trace and access: what is the difference? > Escape of water covers the damage a leak causes; trace and access covers finding and reaching the leak. How they work together on one claim, and the gaps. URL: https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/escape-of-water-vs-trace-and-access/ 1. [Home](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) 2. [Trace and Access](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/trace-and-access/) 3. Escape of water vs trace and access: what is the difference? Decision Guide # Escape of water vs trace and access: what is the difference? [Notts Leak Detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) compares escape of water vs trace and access, the two insurance covers that come up with a hidden leak, and how to claim both without the gaps catching you out. Published 28 September 2026 · Updated 28 September 2026 · By Notts Leak Detection **Short answer:** Escape of water covers the damage caused by water leaking from pipes, tanks or appliances, such as ruined floors, ceilings and plaster. Trace and access covers finding the hidden leak and getting to it, including making good the damage done in the search. They are often claimed together. Neither usually pays to repair the pipe. Escape of water vs trace and access is a question most people only ask once they have a leak. The two covers sit side by side in most buildings policies and are often claimed together. They pay for different things, and the pipe repair usually falls between them. ## Side by side Escape of water Trace and access What it pays for Damage the leaking water causes Finding the leak and getting to it Examples Ruined floors, ceilings, plaster, kitchen units Leak detection, lifting floors, opening walls, digging to a buried pipe Making good Repairs the water damage Repairs the damage done during the search Repair to the pipe Usually not Usually not Water from outside (rain, flooding) No, that is a different peril No The definitions follow [MoneySuperMarket’s trace and access guide](https://www.moneysupermarket.com/home-insurance/trace-and-access/). Escape of water means water leaking from a closed system such as pipes, tanks and appliances. Water getting in from outside is treated differently. The Association of British Insurers reports that insurers pay out around £1.8 million a day for escape of water damage, as cited in the same guide. ## How they work together A typical hidden leak claim runs like this: 1. The damage appears: a damp ceiling, a lifting floor, a stain that keeps spreading. That is escape of water. 2. The source is hidden: under the floor, in a wall, under the drive. Finding it is trace and access. 3. The leak is located and opened up. The report records where it was and what caused it. 4. The pipe is repaired. Usually this is your cost, not the insurer’s. 5. The water damage and the access are made good. This is claimed under the two covers. Hidden leak causing damage? Traced, opened up and documented for your insurer. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) ## Where the gaps are - No damage, just a bill. A buried supply pipe leak often damages nothing, so there is no escape of water claim. Trace and access may still pay to find it, and the water company’s leakage allowance covers the lost water. - Wear and tear. A pipe that has simply worn out isn’t covered, though the damage it causes may be. - Gradual leaks. Some policies exclude damage from leaks that ran for a long time unnoticed. Acting as soon as you suspect a leak matters. - The water company’s side. Leaks on the main, communication pipe or meter are fixed free by Severn Trent. For more on the tracing side, see [what trace and access covers](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/trace-and-access-cover/) and the [trace and access](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/trace-and-access/) service. ## Bottom line Escape of water pays for the damage, trace and access pays for finding the leak, and the pipe repair is usually yours. Log one claim, photograph everything, and get a report that shows where the leak was and why. Call 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791), 9am–7pm, 7 days. ## Questions people also ask ### Do I make two separate claims? Usually not. Most insurers handle both under one escape of water claim, with trace and access as a part of it. Your excess normally applies once per claim, but check your policy. ### What if I have escape of water cover but no trace and access? Then the insurer may pay for the damage but not for finding the leak. Some policies include trace and access automatically; others make it an add-on. Check the wording. ### Is a leak on my underground supply pipe escape of water? It can be, if it damages the property. Often a buried supply pipe leak causes no damage and only shows on the bill. Then trace and access, if covered, pays for finding it, and the water company's leakage allowance covers the lost water. See [how the leak allowance works](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/severn-trent-leak-allowance/). Related service [Trace and Access](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/trace-and-access/) Find the leak, open up only what is needed and document it for your insurer's trace and access claim. [View service](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/trace-and-access/) Talk it through Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) ## More guides - [Learn What does trace and access cover?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/trace-and-access-cover/) - [Decision Guide How much does leak detection cost in Nottingham?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/leak-detection-cost/) - [Learn Can a water leak cause subsidence?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/can-a-water-leak-cause-subsidence/) - [Learn Who is responsible for the water supply pipe?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/who-is-responsible-for-water-supply-pipe/)