Is Water Backup Coverage always needed ?

[s002wjh]

I
Question for you, you mentioned many of your home systems, but did you failed to mention the situation and age with your sewer latteral and sewer main line. Also do you have a sewer backflow preventer?

my home was build in 2007, and it was 1st one on the block, all my neighbors home were build in 2012+. so i would think sewer system would be new. not sure if neighbor hood build in 2010+ has backflow preventer or not.

 

[Lorenzoditonti]

Water-Back Up is a specific type of water claim that happens due to (usually) displacement of water and the pressure differential between the groundwater and the pipes. In my opinion, every home should have it, given that there is a claims frequency above 0%, I would always put it on a policy. I mean, these endorsements are typically like $10 per $1000 in coverage. If you don't add it to the policy, you risk an E&O claim for what benefit? The insured is in a worse position, you make less money, retention is probably going to be lower and you risk an E&O claim.

 

[liamnoah]

Not an agent.

My house is on the highest elevation in its subdivision.

I thought I had sewer backup but my policy reads:
Escape of water from sump/sump pump drain

I probably started carrying that coverage over 30 years ago with a different house and different carrier, at the recommendation of an insurance agent--either an overheard conversation or a casual comment made in passing.

I have never needed it. The rider costs $99 per year on current policy.

The agent had some very specific reasons for recommending Drainage Cleaning in Seattle that coverage but at 30 years ago I don't remember what they were. Water damage is ugly and I'd rather have the insurance than not.

No idea what the broader spectrum of agents would recommend today.

My local natural gas utility keeps offering me insurance on my water and sewer lines. The cost is modest, ten bucks monthly for water line and fifteen for both water and sewer. My home is 57 years old. They offer to make it part of the gas bill, and their role as a public utility makes it seem like it would be legitimate.

My uncertainty is that I have heard of water and sewage lines needing to be replaced, but as near as I can tell it is rare. Two residences in the family were/are over 100 years old, and neither ever required replacement of these. I have never had a friend, acquaintance, colleague or community member known to me to need this, nor have I read letters to the editor bemoaning this.

Is this insurance a bit like insuring against rhinoceros damage? Is it getting a lot of people to insure against a remote possibility? Or is this a practical and responsible option?

I keep getting mailings encouraging me to sign up for this. What is your take? What is your experience. It also worries me that the natural gas people are offering this. Could it be that they do some of the damage to residential lines in installing or repairing gas lines and are trying to deflect their liability? Am I buying insurance that they should be carrying?

 

[marindependent]

every home should have it, given that there is a claims frequency above 0%

Claim frequency above 0% is not a high threshold. A meteor hitting my house is also above s 0% chance.

I think there is a big difference between "Offering the Coverage" and "Needing the Coverage". I too, try and offer it up and let the client make the decision. For new homeowners who often know little to nothing about a given property it can be super helpful.

One Risk Mgmt tool to use on these properties is a Backwater Prevention Device which "is installed on top of a sewer line cleanout access point" and " and "prevent sewage from backing up into a building and instead release the wastewater outside into the landscape."

 

[Allen Trent]

Is this insurance a bit like insuring against rhinoceros damage?

Depends on if rhinoceros is considered rodent or vermin? Plus, I can guarantee you that you definitely don't want a rhinoceros damaging your sewer lines. I have a pretty big sister in law that did a number on our sewer lines, I cant fathom how bad it would be with a rhinoceros


PS- nothing normal about rhinoceros gas. That is causing climate change for certain

 

[fed up]

My local natural gas utility keeps offering me insurance on my water and sewer lines. The cost is modest, ten bucks monthly for water line and fifteen for both water and sewer. My home is 57 years old. They offer to make it part of the gas bill, and their role as a public utility makes it seem like it would be legitimate.

My uncertainty is that I have heard of water and sewage lines needing to be replaced, but as near as I can tell it is rare. Two residences in the family were/are over 100 years old, and neither ever required replacement of these. I have never had a friend, acquaintance, colleague or community member known to me to need this, nor have I read letters to the editor bemoaning this.

Is this insurance a bit like insuring against rhinoceros damage? Is it getting a lot of people to insure against a remote possibility? Or is this a practical and responsible option?

I keep getting mailings encouraging me to sign up for this. What is your take? What is your experience. It also worries me that the natural gas people are offering this. Could it be that they do some of the damage to residential lines in installing or repairing gas lines and are trying to deflect their liability? Am I buying insurance that they should be carrying?

If the cost won't break the bank you should consider it. This coverage is for where the kine leaves the main and branches to your home (street to walls of house). A leak in the water line under your lawn can cause thousands to repair the damage because it can go unnoticed for days or weeks and the lawn needs to be excavated at YOUR COST.

 

[Al3x Lee]

I lived in a house where the water line ran under the front yard. There were three huge trees, a fence, landscaping, lawn, a walkway, etc. That line sprung a leak. They had to cut the trees down, take out part of the fence, jackhammer the walkway, excavate the yard, pour new concrete, ended up getting a new fence since part of it was taken down, etc.

Luckily I was a renter at the time, so I didn't pay for it, but the landlord said it wasn't cheap.

 

[LostDollar]

I lived in a house where the water line ran under the front yard. There were three huge trees, a fence, landscaping, lawn, a walkway, etc. That line sprung a leak. They had to cut the trees down, take out part of the fence, jackhammer the walkway, excavate the yard, pour new concrete, ended up getting a new fence since part of it was taken down, etc.

Luckily I was a renter at the time, so I didn't pay for it, but the landlord said it wasn't cheap.

Don't they just horizontal bore some type of plastic pipe nowadays to avoid having to do all that?

 

[Al3x Lee]

Don't they just horizontal bore some type of plastic pipe nowadays to avoid having to do all that?

Good question. This was in the prehistoric days of 2016, so I'm sure there have been great advancements

 

[LostDollar]

I think there is a big difference between "Offering the Coverage" and "Needing the Coverage". I too, try and offer it up and let the client make the decision. For new homeowners who often know little to nothing about a given property it can be super helpful.

I was never offered this coverage in my policies. Several years into homeowning, I heard about it somewhere and asked my agent about it. They were impressed that I knew about it and added it to my coverage.