[psubaron]

I have read mixed reviews about buying sewer line insurance. Many people say they call to file a claim but the company usually find a "fine print" reason for not fixing a crack or backup in the line.

What are your experiences? Good or bad idea?

Thanks!

 

[TarheelTerp]

I have read mixed reviews about buying sewer line insurance.

I have read mixed reviews about buying any sort of insurance whatsoever.

Do you have any specific reason to believe that YOUR sewer line is at any sort of risk? Anything greater than what the other 500,000 sewer line serving homes in your area face?

 

[psubaron]

I don't have any reason to need it but the pipes are cast iron and will eventually have a crack or some problem. Insurance is about $150 a year and that's supposed to cover the lines in the house, from the house to the curb, and from the curb to the street. Any of those would cost thousands. Even if it occurs once in 10-15 years it would still be cheaper (it they actually pay and don't give a BS reason not to) than paying a plumber thousands to repair.

 

[Javiles]

I have read mixed reviews about buying sewer line insurance. Many people say they call to file a claim but the company usually find a "fine the print" reason for not fixing a crack or backup in the line.

What are your experiences? Good or bad idea?

Thanks!

we do a lot of insurance work and they usually try everything to get out of paying, we recommend using a public adjuster and the homeowner stay out of it 90% of the time we end up winning the claim, meditation and arbitration appraisal in most cases it comes down to the plumbers report homeowner VS insurance plumbers. most policies cover all excavation to replace or repair the pipe and all replacement of items broken removed ie tile drywall,slab, etc. they do not pay for the actual pipe replacement or repair, when we do an insurance repair it has to be broken down in parts labor wise etc, how much for what and so on.

 

[psubaron]

Javiles - so do you think it's a good idea to get the insurance even if there's a chance I might have to use a public adjuster to make them fix what the insurance is for?

 

[TarheelTerp]

I don't have any reason to need it but....

but based on your other post you already have a "pre-existing condition.

 

[psubaron]

That would be true if the offset ABOVE the horizontal line is really the cause of clogs but I'm not convinced it is. I have a feeling the plumber was trying to pull one over on me. He was trying to sell me on replacing it the next day for $3900.

 

[gregzoll]

I have read mixed reviews about buying sewer line insurance. Many people say they call to file a claim but the company usually find a "fine print" reason for not fixing a crack or backup in the line.

What are your experiences? Good or bad idea?

Thanks!

If you have a problem with roots, flush Roebic Foaming Root Killer down every 18 months. If on a Septic, it is okay for the use of Roebic, but also should be flushing monthly. There is of course, the fact that if you have a Septic system, use the proper toilet paper, and can flush Rid-X.

Only when the system becomes to the point that it is beyond its lifespan, or they used the old Creosote paper type piping for DWV from the house, then yes, you need to either save up to self-insure, or if you are unable to do, or always having a spending problem, go for the insurance/warranty.

Around my town, $1500.00 will get you complete dig up for replacement of the Main waste lines. Parts/labor, trenching. Around the same if you have to do the Potable water supply. Only reason that it is cheap around my area, is because they do not see too many issues, due to most places & people regularly have their main wasted checked out about every five years, and the Copper they used in city was the best that money could by, and no problems has ever been seen for the majority of places that have used it.

Most failures are where the Potable or main waste either exits the home, or connects to the system.

 

[Javiles]

Javiles - so do you think it's a good idea to get the insurance even if there's a chance I might have to use a public adjuster to make them fix what the insurance is for?

Depending on the carrier and how the policy is written, and cost of course yes i would recommend it i have seen claims in damages ranging from 6k to over 250k from plumbing retailed damages. the most important thing to remember is to be careful of what you say when first filing a claim most of the times claims get shot down because of something the homeowner said to the insurance adjuster.

i had a homeowner last week call to file a claim we recommended a public adjuster she figured she would handle it herself. what she had was a small water leak in a riser in a bathroom adjacent to a room that never gets used it had been leaking for a while, when the adjuster came out she tells him that it had been leaking for a while she just never goes in that room, BAM that was enough to get denied, insurance wants policy holders to report leaks right away to minimize damages. they don't care that you may have not seen it for months weeks. it's now in the hands of an attorney.

 

[psubaron]

Depending on the carrier and how the policy is written, and cost of course yes i would recommend it i have seen claims in damages ranging from 6k to over 250k from plumbing retailed damages. the most important thing to remember is to be careful of what you say when first filing a claim most of the times claims get shot down because of something the homeowner said to the insurance adjuster.

i had a homeowner last week call to file a claim we recommended a public adjuster she figured she would handle it herself. what she had was a small water leak in a riser in a bathroom adjacent to a room that never gets used it had been leaking for a while, when the adjuster came out she tells him that it had been leaking for a while she just never goes in that room, BAM that was enough to get denied, insurance wants policy holders to report leaks right away to minimize damages. they don't care that you may have not seen it for months weeks. it's now in the hands of an attorney.

Thanks again for the straight forward response. How is a public adjuster paid and what is the cost for their service?

 

[COLDIRON]

Public adjusters are paid a percentage of the total claim they win for the homeowner. I used them many years ago for a house fire they were great the homeowners I had at the time wanted to give me peanuts and didn't care about any inconvenience we suffered. The adjusters set us up with temporary housing, dinners, then a place to stay for a couple months while the work was being done on the house. They did everything we did nothing they represented us almost like attorneys.

The best move I ever made was to call them.