Hidden Water Damage Led to a Coverage Dispute. How a South Carolina Homeowner Challenged the Denial

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A Charleston homeowner has been paid $58,000 after her insurer reversed its denial of a claim for water damage found behind a bathroom wall.

The insurer said the leak had seeped slowly for years, which the policy excluded.

The rot had spread into the floor framing, and repairs could not wait.

Venmora Law hired a plumber and a building consultant who traced the damage to a supply line that burst during a cold snap, a sudden event the policy covered.

The insurer paid $58,000 after suit was filed.

Some older staining was excluded as long-term seepage.

Coverage for water damage often depends on whether the cause was sudden or gradual, which can require expert evidence to establish.