As a homeowner, underground service and utility lines on your property are your responsibility. Any damage to said lines is your responsibility. The alarming truth about this is the cost of these repairs can be substantial.
A typical homeowners insurance policy does not cover damages made to underground service and utility lines. If you want to be protected from a potentially serious financial hit, you’ll want to add this coverage to your homeowners insurance policy as an endorsement.
What service lines might run under my property?
Service and utility lines on the outside of your home include:
- Water and sewer pipes
- Cable, internet and electric wiring
- Natural gas pipes
- Propane pipes
How service lines become damaged
Damage to service lines can be caused by a number of different things. Some of the common causes include: tree roots, animals, an artificial electric current, the weight of vehicles pressing down or lines, rust, and wear and tear.
In addition to having to repair the service lines, the process of doing so could bring about additional costs. For example, a homeowner may be required to dig up landscaping, driveways, and sidewalks in order to gain access to these lines. Any outdoor property such as trees, shrubs, or even walkways may need repair after this process is completed.
Good news: Help for homeowners
If you have your homeowners insurance with ERIE, something called an ErieSecure Home insurance policy will grant you the opportunity to purchase additional protection that covers the cost of repairing service lines as well as related excavation costs, outdoor property damage and even loss of use.
Remember what we said earlier about having to foot the bill of costly damage to your underground service lines? Even if you didn’t physically cause the damage yourself, you would still be legally responsible for repairing these lines. This added coverage will pay that bill for you.
What’s covered?
Service line coverage is available when you add either the Plus or Select bundle to an ErieSecure Home policy. Coverage will be applied for physical damage to service lines i.e. cables, internet and electrical wiring, and damaged natural gas, propane and sewer pipes.
We’re here to help you, so give us a call at 301-948-2010 with any questions about this amazing coverage!