Updated February 2025
What would happen if the sewer line gave out in your front yard? Picture this scenario: One morning you enter your basement and discover that a backup of sewage has caused havoc across your floor, ruining carpet, damaging furniture and other possessions and staining the drywall. This is going to cost a lot of money to fix. The basement will need to be drained, cleaned and repaired. At this point, you are probably wishing you had service-line coverage.
Here’s why: The inside damage will be covered by your homeowner insurance, but what about the outside? Your city or town will only take care of the sewer pipe up to your property line. The entire sewer line needs to be dug up and replaced, then new landscaping is needed to restore the yard to its former state, costing thousands of dollars and creating terrible inconvenience.
A better outcome is possible
This type of catastrophe and other service-line mishaps can have a better outcome. Service-line coverage added to your homeowner policy covers utility lines entering your property. It covers costs of repairing damaged service lines and other related expenses (like digging up the yard!). Because this type of damage isn’t likely to be covered in basic homeowner insurance, it is highly beneficial for the homeowner to add this coverage.
Service lines include electric, gas, media/Internet, sewer, water and plumbing lines — all essentials for the home — making this coverage a must-have. Service lines on your property are your responsibility and will require your money to fix, should they break. Service-line coverage takes care of, or significantly reduces, repair and replacement costs, leaving you fully prepared and covered in a worst-case scenario.
Service-line coverage is inexpensive
Service-line coverage added to a homeowner insurance policy averages approximately $30 to $40 per year and covers all service lines. Another benefit is that you get to select your own provider, at the best rate. Utility catastrophes can happen at any time, and the best way to be prepared is by getting service-line coverage through your independent agent at Bradish.
by Jackson Mainellis
