I asked this in the plumbing section as it has to do with sewer backup, but this is likely a good place to post it as well...

I purchased my house about 2 years ago and did not purchase sewer backup insurance, as my insurance agent said I did not need it since my house is on a slab. Now that I think about it, I feel kind of stupid that I did not verify this advice with someone...

Anyways, a friend of mine just had his basement damaged do to his sewer backing up and it got me thinking about the fact that I do not have insurance for that...my question is, does the plumbing mechanics of a house on a slab make me immune to my sewer backing up?

Thanks for the help.

RickJ

No, you are not immune because you are on a slab. Where there is a sewer line, it can back up.

andrewcocke

I will even go as far as to say that if your house is on a slab with no basement, this should seem like a must, as the sewer line will back up into your living area, making things all the more disgusting and costly.

Granted, a backup in a basement isnt a pretty picture either, but if I had to choose, Id rather sewage back up in a basement as oppsed to my bathroom. Of course you have to have some type of fixture in the basement for water to back up into.

Fr_Chuck

yep, if it backs up in a basement, you clean it out, and hose the basement out ( unless it is a finished basement)

But in a house wthout a basement, and no crawl space, on a slab the backup will all go directly into the hosue.

I always mention New Orleans, how many lived under sea level and did not have flood insurance.

RichardBondMan

I am an ins agent, never heard of "sewer backup insurance", enlighted me some if you can. Right off hand, if the backup damage was caused by the utility company not maintaining say the lines off you property, then they would be responsible right, so why the need except you are concerning with the backup being caused by some malfunction that occurs on your property or with your plumbing?

andrewcocke

It does excist, I had it on my older home with a septic and my insurance was through State Farm.

Whether or not a utility has to pay for a sewer backup may be in question.
About 5 years ago, a sewer line somewhere in the suburbs of Roanoke Virginia backed up and ruined the basements of a whole block of houses. I may be mistaken, but I think the utility got out of paying anything, other than the cost of fixing the problem that caused it. Thus, that is why it was on the news, all the people got to complaining about it.

Around here, utilities and municipalities are quick to pass the buck or deny responsibility to anything.

RichardBondMan

If you visited or called me for such insurance, I would ask you to contact your homeowner's or renter's insurance company to see if such an incident were covered. I know of no company that has a separate policy known as "sewer backup insurance". There are so many other perils that can affect a structure other than a sewer backing up - consider for a minute how miniscule the market would be for a company that is trying to sell only a "sewer backup" insurance policy. The coverage is (or is not) part of a more comprehensive policy that typically covers many other perils that all structures might be exposed to.

andrewcocke

The insurance I was speaking about was just a rider to my homeowners policy, I dont know of anyone who offers it as a stand alone policy.