Why it matters
Most Florida homeowner policies cover water damage when it is "sudden and accidental" but exclude damage from "continuous or repeated seepage" (long-term or gradual). The distinction matters enormously: a burst pipe is sudden and accidental (covered); a slow drip behind a wall over months is gradual (potentially excluded).
Carrier tactic
Carriers commonly try to recharacterize sudden pipe bursts as gradual losses to fit the exclusion. Documentation matters: the timeline of discovery, the appearance of the damage, prior maintenance records, and expert testimony all support the sudden-and-accidental characterization.