Whose Line Is It Anyway?
The reality is that, as a homeowner, exterior underground service and utility lines on your property are often your responsibility – and breaks in a line or accidents during digging can happen. If you need to repair or replace physically damaged lines or pipes, the cost can be substantial.
In most places, a city, town or utility company will not assume any responsibility for the portion of a service line or pipe that runs underground on your property, to or from the public connection.
And typical homeowners insurance policies don't provide coverage for damage to these exterior underground service lines or pipes, either. This can mean serious trouble for a homeowner if a service line or pipe is physically damaged from a service line failure and requires repair.
What Service Lines Might Run Under My Property?
Exterior underground service and utility lines include:
- Water and Sewer Pipes
- Cable, Internet and Electric Wiring
- Natural Gas Pipes
- Propane Pipes
How Service Lines Become Damaged
Some of the most common causes include: tree roots, animal interference, an artificial electrical current, the weight of vehicles pressing down on the lines and even corrosion, rust, wear and tear.
Outdoor elements and causes like these can prove detrimental to these service lines and pipes. No matter what the cause, the effects can be costly. Besides repairing the actual service line, a homeowner may have to dig up landscaping, driveways and sidewalks to gain access to the damaged line. Damaged outdoor property — such as trees, shrubs and even walkways — may require repair or replacement as a result of the service line repair or the service line failure itself.
Good News: Help For Homeowners
The good news is that you can purchase Service Line insurance coverage — additional protection that covers the cost of these service line repairs as well as related excavation costs, outdoor property damage and even loss of use.
Contact us today and we can explain the details and give you a quote on homeowners insurance that includes service line coverage.
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