Is Sewer Line Repair Covered by Insurance?

Sewers may get clogged or fail after years of use. When this happens, homeowners turn to plumbers to solve their problems. Repairs often cost a significant amount of money. If your home is insured, you might be wondering whether your policy covers sewer line repairs. Here, we show you what home insurance can cover and whether your insurer will pay for any repairs to your home’s sewer line.

Does Home Insurance Cover Sewer Lines?

Generally, homeowners insurance doesn’t cover sewer lines. However, this might vary depending on the policy and the type of damage that’s occurred.

There are circumstances where homeowners insurance might cover sewer line repair and any replacement costs. This is likely to happen when the insurer considers the sewer line as other structures and extends coverage to it. Your coverage gets activated when you can prove sudden accidental damage led to one of the covered hazards in your policy cover. These usually include:

• Damage due to lightning strikes, fire, or hailstorms
• Damage due to your neighbor’s activities
• Vandalism
• Explosions outside your property
• Damage due to falling objects or aircraft

Sewer Line Claims That Homeowners Insurance Won’t Cover

Standard home insurance policies never cover damage resulting from poor maintenance, tree roots, floods, sump pump overflows, mold, pests, and any peril that’s not mentioned in your policy. If sewer line backup occurs and it results in damage, your policy won’t cover it. The same applies to normal wear and tear of your plumbing and sewer line.

Can I Buy an Endorsement for Sewer Lines?

Yes, most insurers provide the option to buy an endorsement or ride on top of your standard home insurance policy. The sewer line add-on will provide coverage for the following:

• Plumbing inspections. Finding obstructions in the sewer system and unblocking your sewer lines.
• Excavation. Digging your pipes.
• Repairs. Fixing damages due to digging and pipe replacement include refilling holes and cutting pipes.
• Restoration. Fusing, welding, and fitting external valves to your piping.
• Replacement. Repairing or replacing broken pipes and sewer lines, damaged seals, and joints.
• Landscaping. Restoring your damaged lawn to its original condition.
• Loss of use. Any additional living expenses you incur.

If you already have sewer line insurance, your insurer will locate licensed sewer repair contractors and plumbers for your repairs and help set up an appointment for you. You can get flexible financing at A1 Sewer & Drain if your insurance doesn’t cover sewer line repairs.

Sewer Line Endorsement Cost

Costs vary depending on location. Buying service as an add-on costs roughly $40 to 50 a year. A typical service line endorsement includes sewer water lines, gas lines, septic lines, and other connections from your utility provider to your property. It covers the repair and replacement of service lines for all underground utilities to your home.

Most policies usually have an incident limit of $10,000 and a $500 deductible for sewer line claims. If you get sewer line protection as a separate policy, you can save up to $15 a month. Though you can get standalone policies for sewer or water or other service lines, it’s best to combine all of them under a single endorsement.

Tips for Filing a Sewer Line Insurance Claim

1. Document all maintenance work that a plumber does so it’s easy to prove.
2. Document all the damage done and the measures you took using photos and in writing. Then create an inventory of all the damaged items.
3. Examine your current policy. If there’s no mention of sewer line coverage, switch to a different insurer or look for an add-on for sewer line protection.
4. Try to prevent further damage whenever there’s an incident. The lower the cost of the claim, the higher the chance of your claim being approved.
5. Report the sewer line incident as soon as you can. Try doing so the same day or the following day.

Note: Maintaining your plumbing and sewer lines increase the chance of making a successful insurance claim as it proves the damage isn’t due to negligence.

Use a professional plumber, as insurance companies don’t cover plumbing work that’s done by amateurs. Plumbing experts are licensed, back up their work with warranties, and adhere to building codes when performing sewer line repairs or pipe replacements. Hiring a local licensed plumber often leads to better outcomes. Your plumbing will function and last longer, meaning you won’t file any additional claims soon.

Schedule a Professional Sewer Line Repair

If you need help unclogging a blocked sewer or carrying out repairs, contact the experts at A1 Sewer & Drain for an inspection and repair quote. We are happy to assist you in filing a home insurance claim and to justify that you actually need compensation for upcoming repairs.