If you've ever experienced a sewer backup in your home, you know what a mess it can create. Sewer backups can occur when a drainage system simply can't handle unexpected volumes of water from a major rainstorm or a sudden snow melt. The extra water in the pipes starts to back up, and it flows the opposite direction into your home and onto your floor. The damages that can be caused by sewage water in the home is a health risk, and obviously can damage your home quite severely. Immediate cleanup is required, and can be very expensive. While there are some steps you can take to prevent sewer backup damage, the only way to financially protect your family and home against sewer backup damage is to buy insurance.
If you're lucky, your empty tub and sink can fill with the backup sewer water without overflowing onto your floor, but your toilet is already filled with water and the extra backup water pushing up into the toilet bowl creates immediate problems. Your home can be damaged by a backup, and the waste water carries bacteria that can be dangerous to your health.
Sewer backup is usually excluded from the list of insurable damages in traditional insurance company policies. Often it's available as a rider at an additional cost. In some areas, the risk of flooding causing sewer back up is so high, that insurers will only add sewer back up coverage in small increments, up to a specified limit. The cost of repairing damages or the replacement of possessions will not always be completely covered by the policy's limit. The damage can be so extensive that carpets need to be replaced, and you may need to install new drywall. There are also valuables that many people store in the basement, and these replacement costs can add up significantly.
If a sewer backs up, causing waste water to enter your home, sewer backup insurance is designed to cover the cleanup. If your home insurance policy settles losses on a replacement cost basis, your policy will also pay to replace your damaged property. Coverage on some kinds of policies is paid out on the cash value of the items. When a policy is designed like this, property that is damaged will be covered based on the depreciated value of each item.
In the majority of cases, the city you live in will not be legally responsible for sewer backups. When your regular homeowners insurance fails to specifically mention sewer backup, you must purchase additional coverage in the form of an insurance rider. Depending on the risk factors in your area for backups, the price will vary. There are usually separate deductions for damages, and the insurance riders have limits for the amount of total damage. The insurance company and the policy itself will outline what limits are in place.
The responsibility of maintaining and repairing the sewer line from the house all the way into the street is the responsibility of the homeowner, even though the majority do not even have knowledge of that fact. The property owner is responsible for maintaining the sewer line to the street or public right of way, as owner of the line, they are expected to maintain it.
Over time, these main sewer lines can easily deteriorate, crack, collapse or become obstructed. It can be difficult to know if the line is damaged. When the line is damaged, a sudden rainfall could make the problem quite noticeable indeed.
Again, most homeowner and business insurance policies do not cover sewer backup unless specific sewer backup coverage is added to the policy. Make sure that you take the steps needed to have adequate protection.
If you're lucky, your empty tub and sink can fill with the backup sewer water without overflowing onto your floor, but your toilet is already filled with water and the extra backup water pushing up into the toilet bowl creates immediate problems. Your home can be damaged by a backup, and the waste water carries bacteria that can be dangerous to your health.
Sewer backup is usually excluded from the list of insurable damages in traditional insurance company policies. Often it's available as a rider at an additional cost. In some areas, the risk of flooding causing sewer back up is so high, that insurers will only add sewer back up coverage in small increments, up to a specified limit. The cost of repairing damages or the replacement of possessions will not always be completely covered by the policy's limit. The damage can be so extensive that carpets need to be replaced, and you may need to install new drywall. There are also valuables that many people store in the basement, and these replacement costs can add up significantly.
If a sewer backs up, causing waste water to enter your home, sewer backup insurance is designed to cover the cleanup. If your home insurance policy settles losses on a replacement cost basis, your policy will also pay to replace your damaged property. Coverage on some kinds of policies is paid out on the cash value of the items. When a policy is designed like this, property that is damaged will be covered based on the depreciated value of each item.
In the majority of cases, the city you live in will not be legally responsible for sewer backups. When your regular homeowners insurance fails to specifically mention sewer backup, you must purchase additional coverage in the form of an insurance rider. Depending on the risk factors in your area for backups, the price will vary. There are usually separate deductions for damages, and the insurance riders have limits for the amount of total damage. The insurance company and the policy itself will outline what limits are in place.
The responsibility of maintaining and repairing the sewer line from the house all the way into the street is the responsibility of the homeowner, even though the majority do not even have knowledge of that fact. The property owner is responsible for maintaining the sewer line to the street or public right of way, as owner of the line, they are expected to maintain it.
Over time, these main sewer lines can easily deteriorate, crack, collapse or become obstructed. It can be difficult to know if the line is damaged. When the line is damaged, a sudden rainfall could make the problem quite noticeable indeed.
Again, most homeowner and business insurance policies do not cover sewer backup unless specific sewer backup coverage is added to the policy. Make sure that you take the steps needed to have adequate protection.
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