Why Purchase a Sewer Back Up/Sump Pump Overflow Endorsement?

Do you have sewer back up coverage on your homeowner’s insurance policy? Sewer Back Up is an often overlooked coverage that a homeowner doesn’t consider….until it’s too late. Sewer’s can back up for various reasons and when it does, it’s a mess.

A typical sewer back up involves not only the water damage left behind, but the clean up of the offending water. The clean up of “dirty” water and/or raw sewage is not for the faint of heart. The homeowner can be left with thousands of dollars in damage to carpet, drywall, trim and any contents that are low to the ground. The amount of water and/or sewer that results from a back up varies greatly depending on the cause of the back up and the system from which the back up occurs.

A home that has a contained septic system, one used for only that residence, the back up would be limited to the water output of that home. This would include dish washer, wash machine, shower, toilets, etc. of just that home. Typically the amount of water is limited because of that. If a home is connected to the sewer system, the amount of water can vary greatly based on the type of system, how many residences are connected to the system and where the home is located in the system.

Often a sewer back up is combined with sump pump overflow to create coverage for both occurrences. A sump pump overflow typically occurs during a hard rain when the pump can not keep up with the water being directed to the pump or in the event of a power outage. Most sump pumps are electrical so when a storm occurs you face both the threat of heavy rain and loss of power to the pump. An unfortunate chain of events. There are generators available to attach to your sump pump to offset this threat. The amount of water that escapes for the pump well would vary based on the amount of water draining to it. At least with a sump pump overflow, you are typically dealing with “clean” water.

A Sewer Back Up/ Sump Pump Overflow endorsement to your homeowner’s policy provides protection for the damage to your property, as well as the cost of clean up. Some endorsements offer coverage for the building only, others offer personal property coverage as well. You will often see a variety of limits available on this type of endorsement. Everyone’s needs are different so make sure to look into what is right for your home and the exposure that you have.