How did it happen? The drain hose is supposed to either exit through the side wall vent or the floor. It is not supposed to drain on the floor.If I was the adjuster I would have to call it negligence due to lack of proper maintenance.Good luck with your claim.

Typically, insurance pays for losses that are "sudden and unexpected." The fact the damage was caused by a long term exposure to water from a drain hose not properly installed and/or maintained, would tend to fall under not covered. Now a tree falling on the RV- no question. If you had a roof leak in your sticks and bricks house caused by poorly installed and/or maintained roof shingles (not from a wind or hail damage), would you expect your home owners insurance to pay to have the ceiling torn down and replaced? Therein lies your answer.I hope the best for you, but hope you have realistic expectations.What you WANT them to pay and what they SHOULD pay may be two different things.

I would NOT hold my breathe on INSURANCE accepting claim2 issues1) Did YOU maintain the drain hose insuring that it was properly draining to the OUTSIDE of fridge compartment??2) Did the RV MFG. properly follow Dometic Installation Instructions when they (RV MFG) installed fridge??Typical (very common method) Dometic fridge drain hose placement thru lower ventDometic Installation InstructionsCONDENSATE WATER DRAIN HOSE: A 3/4" hole must be drilled through the flooring in the opening of the base plate on the rear of refrigerator (see FIG. 5D). The installer must make sure that the hose does not kink when run through the floor. Seal around the hose where it goes through the hole.In vehicles where routing the drain hose through the floor is not possible, a metal clip is available. The clip is used to drain water out through the side vent

Drain hose was damaged and broken. The broken/brittle hose was provided to insurance comoany. System was put on to start getting ready for trip. Found water on the floor and immediately shut everything down. I wasn't expecting this much damage.

Bad stuff happens. Frequently, in fact. This is one of those things where a small plastic part decayed due to age and caused a disproportionate amount of damage. If insurance covers this, I think you should count yourself lucky... because I would not even have submitted a claim for such a thing.

Damage to RV from refrigerator drain hose | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Apr 26, 2016
timmac wrote:
Those drain hoses they put on some of those refrigerators are cheap plastic that will dry rot in a few years, found mine dry rotted and replaced it with a rubber hose, at least I caught mine before any rot damage.

Should be checked by all RV owners and replace that cheap plastic hose with a long term rubber one.

Did you have to pull the frige to replace the hose?
cyntdon2010
Explorer
Apr 25, 2016
I,M going out tomorrow and inspect mine, hope you luck out, let us know.

X2
qtla9111
Nomad
Apr 25, 2016
You bad person you. You didn't check your drip line from the refrigerator. Shame on you :)

It happens to the best of us. Live and learn. Rvs are cheaply made and they cut corners where they can.

Do the best you can to fix the damage and put a better quality hose on your refer. You'll be fine.

Enjoy rving, ignore the castigators, they're not perfect either.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Apr 25, 2016
I,M going out tomorrow and inspect mine, hope you luck out, let us know.
beemerphile1
Explorer
Apr 25, 2016
mcguirehg wrote:
Drain hose was damaged and broken. The broken/brittle hose was provided to insurance comoany. System was put on to start getting ready for trip. Found water on the floor and immediately shut everything down. I wasn't expecting this much damage.

Something has been leaking for a long time. A one time leak does not rot the floor.

This really sucks and I hope you get it fixed in time to enjoy camping again.
DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Apr 25, 2016
mcguirehg wrote:
Drain hose was damaged and broken. The broken/brittle hose was provided to insurance comoany. System was put on to start getting ready for trip. Found water on the floor and immediately shut everything down. I wasn't expecting this much damage.

This is not an insurance problem. Sorry to tell you, you failed to check the operational functionality of the equipment. Operator error.

I hope they pay you, but I suspect they will not.
mcguirehg
Explorer
Apr 25, 2016
The hose is not quality. The hose was damaged in the upper portion behind the fridge. Very frustrating.
timmac
Explorer
Apr 25, 2016
Those drain hoses they put on some of those refrigerators are cheap plastic that will dry rot in a few years, found mine dry rotted and replaced it with a rubber hose, at least I caught mine before any rot damage.

Should be checked by all RV owners and replace that cheap plastic hose with a long term rubber one.
jplante4
Explorer II
Apr 25, 2016
I just recently opened mine up (Norcold). It goes to a cup in the outside compartment. The end was closed from excess heat and not draining.

Before I opened this up, I was defrosting the fridge every 2 weeks. Now, it's been a month and I'm not looking at defrosting for another week at least, maybe not until we get home first week of May.
rexlion
Explorer
Apr 25, 2016
Bad stuff happens. Frequently, in fact. This is one of those things where a small plastic part decayed due to age and caused a disproportionate amount of damage. If insurance covers this, I think you should count yourself lucky... because I would not even have submitted a claim for such a thing.