Monday 9 September 2013

Insurance For Sewer Backup

By Devon Monache


If you've ever experienced a sewer backup in your home, you know what a mess it can create. There are a variety of reasons that a sewer backup can happen, from a major snow melt to an unusually high rainfall. The waste water flows back, through the pipes, into your home. The damages that can be caused by sewage water in the home is a health risk, and obviously can damage your home quite severely. The costs of the cleanup are quite high, and it has to be done immediately. Do what you can to prevent a costly sewer backup issue in your home, but beyond that, you can protect the financial investment that is your home, by getting additional sewer backup insurance.

Fortunately, sometimes the waste water flows into your tub or sink and that prevents it from going on the floor, however if it is backing up into the toilet, it overflows quickly since it is full of water already. The bacteria laden water can get all over your home, and it can also damage your furniture or other possessions.

Sewer backup is usually excluded from the list of insurable damages in traditional insurance company policies. Most times, the homeowner can pay extra and have a rider attached to include it. There are those who live in areas that have so many incidents of sewer backup due to flooding that insurance will only cover a very limited amount of damages. 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. And think about the cost to replace all of the belongings kept in your basement.

Sewer backup insurance will protect a homeowner from the cleanup costs and damages associated when sewer waste flows into a home. If your home insurance policy settles losses on a replacement cost basis, your policy will also pay to replace your damaged property. There are some insurance policies that use a coverage system based on cash values. Damaged items will be replaced not on the full cost, but on their depreciated value.

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. The chance of a sewer backup in your area will be calculated, and after this, the price will be determined accordingly. There are usually separate deductions for damages, and the insurance riders have limits for the amount of total damage. The limits vary with the type of policy coverage and the insurer.

Repair and maintenance of the sewer line that runs out of your home and connects to the city's main line in the street is not the city's responsibility, it is the homeowner's, and many do not know this. 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. But one severe rainstorm may be all it takes to bring the problem to a head.

Keep in mind, the majority of business and home insurance do not automatically include sewer backup, and a rider is necessary to have this protection. Make sure that you take the steps needed to have adequate protection.




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