As I write this, somewhere there is a family experiencing the frustrations of a sewer line in disrepair. Water and sewage backing up into the house, toilets and showers unusable, and they have no idea where the issue is or how to fix it. No matter how you cut it, the whole situation just stinks. What’s worse is they’re about to call their local sewer maintenance line to find out that they’re out of luck: the line is on their property. The homeowner will have to manage it themselves.
This sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it? Well, guess what? It happens all the time. Too many homeowners are unaware of what parts of their sewer/septic line they are responsible for, and it leads to headaches like this. It’s time to get caught up on what’s going down.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who believe that the sewer lines are all the responsibility of your local government, I’m here to inform you that this couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality of it is that in most instances the owning entity, usually a city or municipal department, is only responsible for lines and connections that exist on their property. This means that any lines running from your property are your responsibility up to the end of your property line, or sometimes at the shutoff valve, if they are not one and the same. That could be an inch or a mile, but the distance is immaterial. If the source of the issue is on your property, it is coming out of your pocket.
To make matters even worse, because so many folks are unaware of their responsibility, normal wear and tear goes unnoticed and maintenance goes uncompleted. Eventually disaster strikes, and then the real heartache begins. Millions of Americans incorrectly assume that their homeowner’s policy will protect them in case an event occurs that damages or destroys a sewer line on their property. On the contrary, the majority of sewer line issues are excluded by the standard homeowner’s policy. Short of a perilous or malicious event, such as an explosion or act of vandalism, you’re exposed to that risk. The list of covered losses is small, and the potential costs to repair or replace a damaged sewer line are great.
This type of scenario plays out all the time, and too many homeowners end up wondering how to handle the situation after it is too late. Don’t let that be you. There are added coverages and protections available to homeowners that protect you in case of an incident like the one mentioned here. See what your options are before you’re too late. It’s a lot harder to insure something after it’s already broken.
Call us today at 757-819-6896 and let Insurance Strategies – The Cooksey Agency make sure you’re covered!