Water back up loss happens when water or water-borne materials back up into your home. This comes in through sewers, drains, a sump pump, or related equipment and can cause serious damage. It can also be caused by sump pump mechanical failure, aging pipe lines, tree roots damaging the water lines, or electrical outage where the pump cannot run. Water backup is a common type of loss that occurs in many homes but many insurance companies don’t cover this on a standard homeowners or renters insurance policy.
There are a lot of misconceptions about who is more likely to experience this type of loss. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter if you rent or own your home, live on a hill or don’t even have a basement in your home. Water backups can happen to literally anyone! It is actually one of the more common type of claims that homeowners experience and one of the messiest ones to have to deal with on your own. Without this endorsement you could be stuck paying the price for the cleanup and damages out of your own pocket and it can be costly.
Water damage is something you do not want to handle cleaning up yourself. Water gets into every crevice, nook and cranny of your home. It can get into areas that you cannot see and cause mold and mold spores to grow. Mold exposure can cause severe illness or even death especially if you have respiratory or allergy issues. It is best to hire a professional to take care of this as they have the necessary tools, products and equipment specifically for water and mold damage.
Water backup is an optional coverage that you can add to your policy. Well, how much does it cost? Its more affordable that you might think! You’ll typically pay anywhere from $30 to $250 a year. Considering the average claim is around $5000 it may well be worth your while to have this coverage on your policy. Talk your agent today to get a home insurance quote that includes water backup coverage. They are an excellent resource to help you learn and understand how this often overlooked coverage can benefit you and your home. Your home is one of your greatest assets. You want to make sure you have the best home insurance protection in place in case of a disaster.
You may also want to consult with an expert such as a plumber or a home waterproofing company. They can inspect and determine how best to avoid a loss from occurring by placing backup prevention valves or installing the proper drainage systems in and around your home.
Things you can do to prevent a backup are:
*Avoid pouring grease and fat down the drain.
*Do not flush items like paper towels, feminine hygiene products or diapers down the toilet.
*Install a battery back up for your sump pump (in case of power outage).
*Have your sump pump checked and cleaned annually. Run it every season to make sure it is still operational.
*Inspect your yard and surrounding area of your home to make sure the landscaping and irrigation systems are helping water flow away from your foundation.
*Have the tree roots trimmed and kept away from your underground sewer pipes.
*Replace old metal or terra cotta pipes with plastic or PVC pipes to prevent tree roots from causing them damage.
*Check your gutters and downspouts are allowing the water to flow properly and away from your home.
