Is Sewer Line Repair Covered By Insurance?

Is Sewer Line Repair Covered By Insurance?

Homeowner’s insurance can cover a lot of things, but sewer line repair is not one of them in most cases.

The part of the sewer line that goes through your property is considered a structure of your home, but getting the insurance company to cover the cost of replacing it is rare. But, it can happen.

When Will the Insurance Company Cover Sewer Line Repair?

Typically, homeowner’s insurance protects the property from unavoidable damage, either because an accident occurred, or an Act of God led to the house taking a hit. Incidents that would be considered your fault, on the other hand, aren’t covered by the policy.

For the sewer line, if the damage occurs on the specific area that is on your property, you could cover its repair through your policy if the damage was caused by:

• Fire
• Natural events (floods, storms, lightning strikes, etc.)
• Vandalism
• Falling objects
• Explosions
• Other acts out of your control (such as a car swerving, hitting your home, and damaging the pipes)

All these scenarios are impossible to predict, in which case the insurance company cannot claim it’s the homeowner’s negligence that led to the damage. You cannot predict that an explosion will occur near your home, causing the sewer lines to break, nor can you be reasonably expected to protect your asset against a possible explosion.

When Is the Damage Not Covered?

If the damage occurred in an area outside your property line, then the insurance company will likely not cover any repairs, no matter how the damage occurs. You need to check your specific policy, specifically its limitations, to see if maybe yours extends to some areas outside that line as well.

Additionally, insurance companies tend to dismiss claims that involve:

• Physical damage to the pipe that can be attributed to improper maintenance. You can suddenly notice the line is damaged, but usually, that line leaks well before major damage becomes visible. If the pipes were not properly maintained, there was a construction error, or any other preventable situation, the insurance company will deny the claim;

• Sewage backup – problems caused by backup are also exempt from most policies, so whatever that water or sewage damages, its repairs will have to be covered out of pocket.

How Can You Protect Your Sewer Lines and Your Pockets?

It’s impossible to account for every single threat that could damage your home, but you should opt for the insurance policy that covers the most. Try to analyze what sort of issues you’re likely to deal with based on the area you live, such as storms, strong winds, floods, and make sure the policy covers these events.

Regarding the sewer lines, specifically, it’s important not to rely solely on the insurance payout, which you can see doesn’t always apply. Instead, proper maintenance is key to avoiding some high costs for repairs or even replacements. Consider having a plumber inspect your lines to make sure everything is in order, and spot any signs of trouble before they make themselves known.

Can We Help?

Anytime Plumbing is happy to help all Santa Cruz, CA, residents with their plumbing needs. Call us to make sure your sewer lines are up to code and remove any uncertainty of potential line damage down the road.

Contact us now to find out more!