Your frozen pipes have burst — will your insurance cover it?

Cold temperatures often come with some unpleasant side effects, like a slippery commute and high heating bills. And if you're a homeowner, one thing that can send shivers down your spine during the winter is frozen pipes. Not only will you have to deal with replacing the pipe if it bursts, but you might also face costly damages from gallons of water pouring into your house.

CNBC Select breaks down who's responsible for paying for the damage caused by burst pipes and what you should do if a pipe bursts in your home.

If a frozen pipe bursts in your home, you want to act swiftly. According to insurance company Nationwide, the first thing you want to do is turn off the main water valve to stop the flow and minimize the damage. If you don't know how to do that, call the plumber — you'll need to get a professional involved at some point anyway to make the necessary repairs quickly and correctly. Keep the failed component of the pipe for insurance purposes.

If it's safe to do so, clean up the water and remove or protect your belongings. Take pictures of the damage and create a list of items that need repairs or replacement, including their brand, price and other details.

Now you can contact your homeowners insurance company online or over the phone. Nationwide, one of our top picks for homeowners insurance, has a page dedicated to water damage with instructions for policyholders and a link to file a property claim.

Lemonade is another insurance provider known for quick claim approval. You can file a claim right in the Lemonade app which will guide you through the process. You might receive payment for a simple claim almost immediately — but more complex scenarios might require a deeper review.

According to HomeAdvisor, a digital platform connecting homeowners and contractors, the typical burst pipe repair should cost you around $500 — or anywhere from $200 to $3,000.

The damage from a burst pipe, on the other hand, can be extensive and include water damage to your furniture and possessions, structural damage and even mold growth. Luckily, homeowners insurance typically covers a lot of this damage. To make sure you're protected as much as possible, check your insurance policy for the following types of coverage:

• Dwelling coverage, the core component of your policy, can help you cover rebuilding or repairs to the physical structure of your property. Water damage from burst pipes can do quite a number on your home, harming its foundation, walls and flooring. For that reason, this type of coverage provides crucial protection.
• Property coverage protects your belongings, from furniture to clothing and electronics. Check if it pays for the actual cash value (ACV) or the replacement cost value (RCV). With ACV, you'll get reimbursed for the item factoring in its depreciation. With RCV, the insurance company will pay to replace the item with a new version without accounting for depreciation.
• Loss of use coverage pays when your home becomes unlivable due to a covered event and you incur additional housing and living expenses. For example, if a burst pipe in your home forces you to stay at a hotel, this type of coverage can potentially pay for your stay.

A typical homeowners insurance policy doesn't cover the cost of repairing or replacing the burst pipe itself. Overall, as the Allstate website explains, the source of water damage itself usually isn't covered. For instance, the same would apply if your dishwasher broke and turned your kitchen into a flood zone — the insurance would pay for the damaged floor but not to replace your dishwasher.

On the bright side, if you have a home warranty, your plan might cover a damaged pipe. For example, Choice Home Warranty includes the plumbing system in its Basic Plan. The provider also has a high coverage cap of $5,000 per covered item.

Note that home warranties only cover damage due to normal wear and tear. If you haven't maintained your pipes properly or taken no steps to prevent them from freezing, you might be out of luck. Plus, coverage varies by plan and provider, so be sure to ask your home warranty company if you're unsure about your coverage details.

Similarly, your insurance provider might also deny your claim if they determine the damage was the result of your negligence. If you left your house for a few days and didn't turn on the heat in the freezing weather, they could assume the burst pipe was your fault. The same could happen if it turned out your pipes didn't receive proper maintenance.

You can check your policy for the full list of exclusions, as well as the circumstances where they may apply.

Water damage from a burst frozen pipe can lead to expensive repairs. Fortunately, your homeowners insurance policy should be able to help you cover the costs. After you clean up the water, take an inventory of the damages and contact your insurer — they'll explain which coverages apply and walk you through the next steps.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance guide is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.