Are your possessions covered by sewer backup Insurance in Central Maryland?

Is your home and its possessions protected by sewer backup insurance? Sewer backup insurance is not automatically provided with your homeowner’s insurance. Many homeowners don’t realize this until they have had a backup and no way to pay for the ensuing repairs and replacement needs of appliances, carpeting and so on. This is different than “flood” insurance. The only way your flood insurance will cover a sewer backup is if the backup occurred as a direct result of the flooding.

As a homeowner, if you own the land your home is on, you are responsible for maintaining the lateral sewer lines going from your home and generally stopping at the street where it then becomes the responsibility of your cities municipal water system.

Sewer backup insurance will cover incidents such as discharge from a sewer, storm drain or septic tank overflow, sump pump overflow, and the cost of cleaning or replacing flooring, walls, appliances and furniture. This is very important insurance to have, especially if you have a finished basement. Always remember the cost of replacing your furnace and appliances when deciding how much coverage to buy. An average cost to add a sewer backup rider to your existing coverage runs anywhere from $40.00 - $150.00 a year depending on the dollar amount of loss coverage and the deductible.

These are some of the most important things to consider when making the decision to purchase sewer backup insurance.

• If you live in an older home where the pipes may be made of cast iron that can crack easily
• If your home resides in a valley or other low-lying area
• If your sewer line also acts as a combined drain by carrying away sewage as well as rainwater
• If your property or surrounding area has lots of trees that can cause roots to intrude into your pipes

If your home is not insured for sewer backup damage, call your agent now to discuss options for adding it to your homeowners insurance policy.