Escape of water remains a significant source of property damage, making early detection and response an important part of risk management.
Quensus’s analysis highlights how connected building technology can give property teams greater visibility over conditions that might otherwise remain unnoticed, helping them identify potential problems before they develop into extensive damage and an expensive insurance claim.
The scale of the issue shows why this visibility matters. The Association of British Insurers reports that insurers pay approximately £1.8m every day for domestic escape-of-water damage, while Aviva recorded 26,845 escape-of-water claims between 2023 and 2025, with an average claim cost of £11,273. For commercial properties, the consequences of a leak can extend beyond physical repairs to include business interruption, temporary closures, damage to equipment or stock and disruption for tenants or customers.
A connected building brings together sensors, meters, software and automated controls to provide information about how a property is operating in real time. Depending on the building, this can include water usage, leaks, temperature, humidity, occupancy, energy consumption and access activity. Making this information visible gives property and facilities teams an opportunity to identify unusual conditions earlier and respond before a relatively minor problem becomes more severe.
Time is particularly important when it comes to water-related incidents. A leak discovered within minutes may require a straightforward repair, while the same problem left unnoticed overnight, throughout a weekend or during a building closure can result in damage to ceilings, flooring, equipment and critical infrastructure. This makes both the time taken to detect an issue and the time taken to respond important measures when managing property risk.
Smart water monitoring can help address that gap by continuously analysing consumption and flow. Unusual activity can include continuous water use outside normal operating hours, sudden increases in consumption, water flowing while a building is unoccupied or abnormal activity within a particular area. These patterns can provide an earlier indication that something requires attention.
Systems such as Quensus’s LeakNet combine real-time monitoring and alerts with automated shut-off controls. Where an automated valve is installed, the water supply can be isolated when appropriate, reducing the amount of water that can escape while a response is organised. This can be particularly relevant when facilities teams are off site, including overnight, at weekends, during public holidays or while a building is closed.
Detection, however, is only part of the risk-management process. Connected systems can also provide information to facilities teams and designated responders about the building, zone or meter affected, helping them understand where an issue has occurred and take appropriate action. The aim is to create a process that moves from identifying abnormal activity to responding, resolving the issue and recording what happened.
That information can also create a record of how a property is being managed. Depending on the system, organisations can retain water-consumption trends, alert histories, response times, shut-off events, maintenance activity and evidence that an issue has been resolved. This can support discussions with insurers, brokers and risk managers by demonstrating that water risks are being actively monitored and addressed.
However, connected monitoring does not guarantee lower insurance premiums or different policy terms. Those decisions remain dependent on the insurer, the individual property, its claims history and its wider risk profile. The value of the data is instead in providing evidence of the controls being used and how the organisation is managing the risks identified.
The benefits of connected water monitoring also extend beyond insurance. The same information can show when and where water is being consumed, helping organisations identify inefficient fixtures, compare performance across properties and support water-efficiency programmes. It can also contribute to sustainability reporting, environmental targets and wider facilities management.
For InsurTech, this points to a broader role for technology in the property insurance lifecycle. Rather than focusing only on what happens after damage occurs, connected building systems can support earlier identification of risks and help property teams intervene while an issue is still manageable.
The approach also changes how maintenance can be managed. Instead of relying only on fixed inspection schedules or waiting for visible defects, facilities teams can use changes in building performance to identify areas that may require attention. Data can then help establish whether water usage has returned to its expected pattern following a repair or whether further investigation is required.
Ultimately, Quensus’s analysis shows how connected buildings can turn previously hidden water activity into actionable information. By bringing together monitoring, alerts, automated controls and documented responses, the technology can help organisations detect potential leaks earlier, reduce the time between detection and containment and limit the severity of water-related incidents.
Read the full Quensus analysis
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