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. Sewage coming into your home can cause extensive damage, not to mention a serious health risks. Cleanup has to be begun immediately, and the price for doing it is exceedingly high. The best way to protect yourself from the financial implications of a sewer backup in your home is to get extra Richmond Hills Home insurance in case of this problem, and to take some actions to prevent it.
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.
Those with insurance policies from traditional insurance companies will likely find that their policy has an exclusion for sewer backup damages. 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. This limit may or may not be sufficient to cover the cleanup, let alone the replacement of damaged goods. Carpeting needs to be replaced after, and many times, new drywall will also need to be put in. And think about the cost to replace all of the belongings kept in your basement.
When sewer waste water enters a home and causes damages, the homeowner benefits greatly from having a sewer backup rider on their home insurance policy. Your home insurance policy will pay replacement costs for property damage if they settle losses on a replacement cost basis. 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. Unless sewer backup is mentioned specifically in your home insurance policy, a rider must be purchased to be covered in case of damages from this cause. The cost varies with your home’s risk for a backup. Insurance riders typically limit the damage covered and also have separate deductions for damages. Depending on the coverage and the insurance company, limits will vary.
Most homeowners probably don’t realize that they are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their main sewer line – the pipeline that runs between their house and the municipality’s sewer main, usually located underneath the street. The main sewer line is owned and maintained by the property owner, including any part of the line that extends into the street or public right of way.
Sewer lines can become obstructed, they can have cracks form, or they can just wear down and collapse, due to the passage of time. 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.
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. Do what is necessary to ensure that you are covered.
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