Yes, your septic tank or drain field is covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. Your septic tank is technically a part of your home, meaning it falls under your dwelling coverage details. Let’s look at how a conventional septic tank falls in line with your homeowner’s insurance.
Septic systems can create a world of headaches for homeowners. There are around 20% of US homes that still depend on septic tanks for sewage treatment. This is more common for those who live in rural areas without connections to a local sewer system.
Damage to your septic system can leave you responsible for expensive repairs or replacements. Luckily, your homeowner’s insurance has you covered. Keep reading to see what qualifies your septic system for covered damages, and how to protect yourself from costly surprises.
When home insurance covers septic system damage
Since your dwelling coverage includes your septic tank, it will be protected according to your policy’s perils and exclusions.
You may want to talk with your agent about where your insurance company labels your septic tank. Some may consider it separate from your home and will put it under the “other structures” umbrella available with Coverage B in your policy. In this case, your septic system is still covered.
The difference is, other structures are usually only covered up to a percentage of the overall dwelling limit. For example, let’s say your policy declares “other structures” should only be covered by 10% of your dwelling coverage. If you have a policy worth $100,000, your septic tank will be covered for up to $10,000 worth of damage.
Septic system damage will only be covered, however, if the cause is listed as a peril on your policy. Standard perils include:
So, if lightning strikes your house and starts a fire that damages your septic system, your insurance will cover it. While unlikely, if your septic tank is stolen or vandalized, you’d be covered as well.
When septic systems are not covered by home insurance
Luck starts to run out when a different sort of issue causes damage to your septic system. Insurance companies will deny claims based on damage caused by:
- Normal wear and tear
- Neglect
- A vehicle
- Improper construction
- Earthquakes
- Floods
- Improper maintenance
This is a good reason it’s important to follow a few simple rules.
For one, never flush chemicals or non-biodegradable materials into your septic tank. These can corrode the interior of your system and contaminate groundwater.
Secondly, never place heavy objects over your septic tank or drain field. Your septic tank is underground, and the weight of heavy items like cars can crack drainage pipes. Situations like these will cause various leaks and even more problems.
Be sure to maintain your septic system regularly to diminish your chances of significant damage. When you do your part in taking care of your property, insurance companies are less likely to find you negligent and financially responsible for damages.
Coverage endorsements
Sometimes, unforeseen and unfortunate events happen even with due diligence. What happens when your standard insurance coverage isn’t enough to cover the costs of a septic tank or drain field damage?
Considering your average septic system is worth several thousand dollars, you may not be fully covered in case of a disaster. At this point, coverage add-ons can come in handy.
Coverage endorsements are available to homeowners at a small price hike. These endorsements help cover the grey area missing from traditional insurance policies. They cover extra perils, add more cash to the payout for damage, and even take care of specific structures.
Service line coverage
Like we mentioned much earlier, your septic system is made up of different parts. One part that connects them all together is a collection of pipes. These pipes transport waste from your commode to the septic tank, through treatment filters, and out to your drain field.
Service line coverage aims to protect your home’s various pipes. If one of the pipes attached to your septic tank is severed or damaged, you will be protected with service line coverage. You will also be covered if one of your utility lines or pipes that run through your property is damaged.
Just like any other endorsement, service line coverage will cost you a little extra a month on your insurance premiums. Still, since repairing or replacing service lines can run thousands of dollars, this endorsement may be worth adding to your policy.
Water backup/Sump pump coverage
One peril that isn’t covered by your average dwelling coverage is damage caused by a backed-up drain or broken sump pump. Water backup coverage (or sump pump coverage) is a popular endorsement that covers you from this kind of risk.
Water damage caused by a faulty sump pump, sewage overflow, or drain back-up is taken care of by this add-on. If you’re in an area susceptible to rainfall or freezing, you may want to investigate this endorsement.
Also Read: Does home insurance cover sump pump failure?
How do septic systems operate?
Homes without sewage access will have septic systems, which contain chemicals that breakdown waste. During the chemical processing, the waste is divided into solids and wastewater. While the solids remain within the tank itself, which can be emptied when filled, wastewater is moved to something called the drain field.
A traditional septic system consists of two main parts – the septic tank and the drain field.
The septic tank is located at least 4 inches underneath the soil, about 10-25 feet away from the house. It’s a concrete or fiberglass structure that collects wastewater and purifies it from solid waste. From there, the wastewater is carried out to shallow soil where it can be naturally decontaminated. This saturated soil is called the drain field.
Drain Field
The drain field is an area where treated wastewater will be released from a system of perforated pipes. This allows further treatment of the wastewater as the drain field’s soil naturally breaks down bacteria and other contaminants. Each part of this system is essential to the health, safety, and function of your home and property, so, it’s critical that your septic system stays in good working order.
What can go wrong with your septic tank?
There are two ways your septic tanks can cause you to need repairs:
- Your septic tank fails and needs repairs itself, or
- Your septic tank affects or damages the house itself.
In the first scenario, your homeowners policy likely doesn’t cover those repairs. In most policies, the septic system is considered to be a separate structure from the home, and the cost to repair it isn’t included in the total repair/replacement cost of the policy.
On the other hand, a septic system failure causes a septic back-up that floods the home is considered an entirely different scenario. Although homeowners with septic systems often need to pay out-of-pocket to repair the system itself, that’s not necessarily true if a septic system failure causes water damage to their home.
Septic tank maintenance
Considering how difficult it can be to get specific insurance for your septic system, make sure to prevent septic failures as much as possible by taking proper care of your septic system, and remember to:
- Have your system inspected professionally every three to five years
- Use high-efficiency appliances in your home (toilets, showerheads, washing machines)
- Dispose of waste appropriately to reduce oils, toxins, and solids disposed of in the toilet and sink
- Avoid parking cars, planting trees, or draining other water around or on your drain field
If you keep these maintenance tips in mind, you can avoid expensive and time-consuming repairs to your home and septic system from avoidable system failures and back-ups.
Conclusion
Not many houses still have septic tanks, but the ones that do understand how important it is to keep them maintained. If you’re one of the millions of Americans with a septic system, you can rest assured knowing your homeowner’s insurance has your back.
Keep in mind that this is only the case if your damaged system was struck by a covered peril on your dwelling coverage. Check your insurance company for add-ons or endorsements that will take your protection a little further.
Remember that your septic tank should be professionally inspected, flushed, and pumped every few years or so depending on the size and use frequency.
