Most every home today has water, sewer and electric running to it. Of course, there are some exceptions, however most of you reading this have these modern amenities. Often these utilities run from the street to our homes underground. The question is, what happens if there’s an “Underground Service Line Failure”? Does your Homeowners Insurance policy cover that?
Here’s what happened to me. As a teen I was doing some landscaping/yard work for a relative of mine. I was working around a shed in the yard that had underground electric running to it from the house. You’ve probably have heard the saying “Call Before You Dig”. Well, I neglected to remember that before I was digging around the shed and dug into the power line.
Luckily the breaker popped and I wasn’t injured. However, the damage I did to the underground service line required an Electrician to come replace the damaged line. I learned quickly how expensive underground service line repair can be. My relative didn’t have “Underground Service Line Coverage”. They were gracious enough not to hold me financially responsible and paid the repair themselves.
“Underground Service Line Coverage” is available as an endorsement on many homeowner’s policies. The cost of this endorsement can be less than $20 per year for $10,000 in coverage.
Items “Underground Service Line” endorsement can cover on your homeowner’s policy (some exclusions apply):
· Water piping that connects from the dwelling to a public water supply system or private well system
· Sewer piping that connects from the dwelling to a public sewer or private septic system
· Ground loop piping that connects to a heat pump
· Power line or wiring that provides electrical service to a dwelling or other structure on homeowner’s property
If you are unsure if you have this endorsement or if it’s been awhile since you’ve gone over what coverages you have, I’m happy to check it out for you. I can be reached direct at 219-477-7176.