Yuck! There’s nothing worse than finding out that you have standing sewage in your tub. A sewer backup can cause this to happen when there is a blockage somewhere along the sewer pipes below your house. When this happens, the damage can quickly worsen – not to mention the smell!
Your first instinct might be to call your insurance company. Your homeowners insurance will protect you from certain types of water damage. Unfortunately, sewer backup isn’t one of them. However, affordable endorsements are available from most insurers to cover this damage.
Any homeowners policy you find will state that it does not cover damage caused by sewer backups. Everything the sewage destroys, plus the pipe itself, will be up to the homeowner to repair or replace. This could cost homeowners thousands of dollars in 2023.
- Standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover the damages caused by sewer backup.
- Inexpensive sewer backup endorsements are available from most insurance companies.
- Sewer backup endorsement will not cover the damage if the sewer is backed up because of negligence or lack of maintenance.
What causes a sewer backup?
A sewer backup is sort of like a domino effect. The first source of damage causes sewage and wastewater to build up in the sewage system. Once enough of it piles up, it will start backing up into your pipes and begin flooding your bathrooms, basements, and eventually your whole house.
Sewer backups can be caused by:
- Tree roots: The roots of trees and other plants dig deeper underground in search of groundwater. The more they dig, the more likely they’ll run into your sewage pipes. The weight and pressure of these root systems can crack or crush your pipes.
- Flushed objects: Probably the most common cause of sewage backup comes from a severely clogged system. This happens when you flush the wrong items down the toilet or empty grease in your sink. These illegitimate items will clump up in your pipes over time and eventually cause sewage to back up.
- Heavy rain: After a big downpour, rain or melted ice and snow can seep into your sewer pipes. If enough excess rainwater gets into your pipes, your sewage could back up into your backyard or basement.
- Sump pump failures: the sump pump can fail and cause a sewer backup. This is the main cause of sewer backups because the sump pump is responsible for dispersing the water that prevents your basement from flooding. If the pump malfunctions at a certain point, it can cause thousands of dollars of damage to the basement. A sewer backup endorsement will cover the damage of sump pump failures but it won’t cover the replacement of a sump pump.
- Outdated sewer systems: similar to outdated pipes, older sewer systems built over 40 years ago can cause significant problems to the sewage. This is not your fault. As the systems start aging, they become susceptible to backups and other issues.
- City pipelines: if the city uses combined pipelines for the sewer and storm drainage, you could have sewer backup problems during a storm if the system is overflooded. This actually creates major issues for the community as a whole.
- City sanitary blockage: the main sanitary location can be blocked and if the blockage is not detected in a timely manner, the sewage from the water main can leak back to people’s homes and even businesses via the flood drains. This backup doesn’t happen as fast as a storm flood backup, making it easier to identify and prevent on time. If the water is penetrating your home at a fast rate, you can call in city workers and report the problem instantly.
Sewer backups are preventable with regular maintenance and careful attention to your pipes. This is the main reason it’s not covered by your standard homeowners insurance.
Additional coverages for sewer backup
Insurance companies might view a sewage backup as a consequence of poor maintenance or neglect. Luckily, there are some endorsements you can add to your policy to protect you a little more in case of sewer backup.
Sewer backup coverage
Sewer backup coverage is available as an endorsement that costs between $50-150 per year and can be added to your policy. This endorsement covers sewer backup damage from sump pump failures, pipelines, tree roots, and other causes. The insurance company can add this endorsement to any homeowners policy such as HO-3 or HO-5 insurance.
Typically, sewer backup coverage will cover the damage to your sewer line. This only includes the pipe going from the city main to your house. Furthermore, this endorsement will cover the costs to replace or repair property and structures that were destroyed by standing sewage.
There are a few caveats with this coverage. Like most other coverages, you won’t be protected if your sewer pipes and associated damage were due to lack of maintenance, neglect, or intent. This coverage will only protect you from sudden damage.
The typical limit for a sewer backup addition is around $25,000 tops. This will cover the damage to your dwelling, personal property, and other structures. In serious cases, this may not be enough to cover the cost of the total damage, though.
Service line protection
Also known as “buried utility line” coverage, service line coverage covers the costs of broken utility lines that go from the city to your home. This includes electric lines, utility cables, and, conveniently enough, sewage pipes.
According to Angi, replacing a sewer main costs nearly $3,000 on average. This number only increases if the damage means the entire line needs to be replaced. With service line protection, your insurance will pay for:
- Replacing or repairing your line
- Any excavation work necessary to repair or replace your line
- Any landscaping destroyed from repairing or replacing your line
If a damaged pipe causes water damage to your home, the combination of service line protection and your insurance policy should take care of everything. Your standard insurance will pay to fix your belongings, while service line protection will pay to fix your service lines.
Costs of sewer backup coverage
The average sewer backup endorsement costs $70/year and provides $10,000 worth of coverage. We recommend spending $150-200/year on this endorsement for maximum coverage.
The costs to add sewer backup coverage to your plan can vary greatly but should not be more than $200/year. The protection amounts vary depending on the insurer. Sewer backups can cause significant damage to the basement and drain pipes in your home. The average water backup coverage provides between $10,000-25,000 worth of damage.
There are few coverage plans offering $5,000 coverage and these can be as cheap as $25/year to add to your policy, but they may not be enough to cover serious damage. If you live in a state with lots of annual rainfall, avoid the cheap policies because you may end up paying tens of thousands of dollars for excess damage. There are deductibles when filing claims for sewer backup damage. The average deductible is $500, but it can also be as low as $250 for all water-damage-related claims (depending on the insurer).
Preventing sewer backup
Since you’re responsible for the sewage pipe that goes from the city’s line under the street to your house, it’s your prerogative to properly maintain it. After all, even with the extra endorsements it is best to prevent sewage pipe from backing up to avoid filing unnecessary claims. The best step to protecting your home and your wallet is to take preventative measures.
- First, only use your toilets and sinks for their intended use. Never flush anything other than toilet paper down the drain. Flushed sanitary wipes, diapers, or cigarette butts can create a traffic jam in your pipes. In the same breath, you should never dump sludge or grease down the drain.
- Have your pipes checked regularly. Calling a seasonal plumber to check out your system is a great cost-effective way to maintain all of your plumbing and sewage needs.
- Finally, keeping an eye on the roots of your trees and plants is a good idea. Make sure they get plenty of water and don’t have to go searching for moisture in your sewage pipes.
Conclusion
Sewer and water backups can happen to any homeowner. When your home desperately needs repair from sewage backup, you might find yourself scrambling to find help. It’s best to be prepared for this kind of situation beforehand.
Homeowners insurance policies cover most water damage as long as it’s sudden and accidental. Millions of households in the US are experiencing flood conditions that can cause extensive structural damage to their homes. Flood conditions aren’t always caused by floods and hurricanes but they can be caused by a sewer backup.
Unfortunately, sewage backups are not usually covered by home insurance. Some additional coverages may help you in the event of a sewage backup, though. They’re inexpensive, but may still not cover the full extent of damage caused.
It’s always best to keep tabs on how properly maintained your home is. Keep a plumber on standby for regular checks, and never flush or drain anything not meant for your pipes!
