With more and more homeowners insurance companies making policy holders pay in one way or another for water-related claims, it behooves policy holders to avoid conditions that can result in such claims.

Insurers are canceling policies, curtailing coverage and raising rates to beat back the growing numbers of claims paid for water damage related insurance claims.

The mold epidemic and related complaints, disputes and court suits are behind the insurance industry's reexamination of how it covers and handles water and moisture related claims.

It's no surprise the industry is encouraging policy holders of avoid making such claims.

The trade group Insurance Institute of Northern California (IINC) has teamed up with another trade partner, the Lowe's Warehouse, to encourage homeowners to "Take 10 Minutes for Water".

Some of the same steps used to avoid water-related insurance claims are the same techniques that can help conserve water -- an important issue in communities facing prolonged drought.

In California, single-family homes account for 55 percent of the states water use. Six percent of that is caused by leaks. A household water leak of only 10 drips per minute can result in a water loss of 525 gallons per year, according to the IINC.

"Californians meticulously maintain their cars, yet we often treat our homes as if they're maintenance-free," says IINC director Candysse Miller. "If we took a few minutes each year to inspect our household water fittings and water pressure, we could save millions of dollars in water damage statewide every year," said said, offering tips not only for Californians but households everywhere.

Miller says to prevent problems, households should know the location of their water supply controls, how to shut off the supply and how to check water pressure.

Water pressure should be set no higher than 80 psi (pounds per square inch) and a water pressure meter costing about $6 can quickly tell a homeowner if their water pressure is set at a safe level. Hook the pressure meter up to an outdoor faucet and turn the water on high for a quick measure.

Homeowners should also inspect and replace other inexpensive water fittings on a regular basis to prevent water loss.

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Broderick Perkins parlayed a career in old-school journalism into a contemporary digital news service that really hits home. The award-winning consumer journalist, originally from Wilmington, DE, is founder, publisher and executive editor of the bootstrap DeadlineNews Group, a Silicon Valley-based editorial content and consulting service specializing in residential real estate, consumer news and related editorial consulting services. The DeadlineNews Group includes the website, DeadlineNews.com, offering real estate editorial content and consulting services, and its back shop, the Deadline Newsroom, an open house on news that really hits home. Perkins obtained his formal journalism education from University of Delaware and a journalism boot camp, the Institute of Journalism Education at the University of California-Berkeley. He went on to 20 years of service as a daily newspaper journalist at the Wilmington, DE News Journal and San Jose, CA Mercury News. Perkins covered housing on the San Jose Mercury News reporting team which earned a General News Reporting Pulitzer Prize in 1989 for coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake. He has also produced real estate, consumer and small business content for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, RealtyTimes.com, Nolo.com, Better Homes and Gardens, the National Association of Realtors, Homestore/Move and Intuit/Quicken among more than three dozen publications. In addition to managing the DeadlineNews Group, Perkins most recently served as chief editorial consultant for Nolo's Essential Guide To Buying Your First Home, Nolo, and writes real estate television scripts for RealtyTimes.com.