Does My Homeowners Insurance Pay When a Tree Root Causes a Pipe to Break?

Buying a new house can be a mix of excitement, apprehension, and effort. It’s important to consider all the responsibilities and challenges that come with owning a home. We don’t normally think about “What damage could happen to our home?” as we normally think “Wow, this living room is going to be our favorite spot in the house!” because we are excited to steer through the process of being a homeowner. 

A claim we have encountered that may not immediately come to mind is, “What if a tree root causes a pipe to break under your house?” The short answer is, it can cause water damage to the house, the long answer is, that you will need to fix or replace the pipe, dig to where it’s located, and fix the water damage that occurred to the home. 

If you come to find yourself experiencing this tragic situation or happen to face issues with your sewer or drains, contact us on how we can help you. 

First, our team will want to review your homeowner’s insurance policy, that is of course you have a Homeowners 3 Special form. From there we will take a look at the damaged pipe, gather the costs of the pipe itself and the repairs, and finally we will review the water damage that affected your home. The Homeowners 3 policy should cover all risks, given the exception of exclusions. 

Said exclusions may include loss caused by wear and tear, marring, deterioration, and failure to keep up with the maintenance of your home as a whole. For example, if you are aware that your pipe has tree roots in it and fail to repair it or take action to replace it, you could experience difficulty getting the full claim paid for. 

If roots are found in the pipe and need to be removed, it’s considered a maintenance issue. This is not covered by insurance, even if there is no damage. It is not classified as broken or a loss, but it still requires repair. 

There is always a possibility that water can cause damage to your home, whether it’s caused by broken pipes or not, but homeowners insurance will most likely cover the cost. Ignoring the maintenance of the pipe will result in you paying out of pocket, but your policy will cover the physical water damage. 

What About Sewer Back Up?

Not only can water damage appear due to broken or damaged pipes, but it could also be a result of your sewer or drain getting backed up from other properties surrounding your home. Unfortunately, sewer damage is not covered under a Homeowners 3 policy, and this kind of fix can be extremely expensive to repair. Sewer issues can affect your yard and the inside of your home, specifically your basement or the first level of your home.  

A solution to not having to pay for any sewer damages out of pocket is to add Backup sewer and drain coverage to your homeowner insurance plan. This type of addition is encouraged so you don’t have to worry about taking a loan out to pay for the repairs or have to experience financial struggles to make your home a safe space. If this is something you are interested in, give our team a call for pricing information.  

Tree root damage can be very serious as it can affect the foundation of your home, fences, or any posts that may be in your yard. Ultimately, it can cause a sewer or water pipe to burst. With these potential risks, it’s advisable to have a professional inspect your pipes a couple of times a year. This strategy could protect you from any potential damage or harm to your home. Professionals can easily take a look at your pipes via a video camera that will draw attention to any cracks in the pipe that may need to be sealed or repaired, along with detecting tree roots. 

A key sign that there could be an issue with your pipes is a change in the flow of water through the pipes. If this is something that you’re experiencing, contact your local sewer and drain to schedule an emergent inspection. If they can locate and find the issue, they will be able to resolve it and repair the pipe before any other issues occur. Don’t wait to see if the problem will resolve on its own as this could result in major damage to your pipes, causing the problem to become more expensive. 

Whether you have homeowners insurance or not, any foundation damage that could occur is always inconvenient and expensive. These types of repairs lead to contractors in and out of your home for some time, most likely putting a wrench in your daily schedule. Any kind of property damage can be severe, so having a way to cover costs and repairs will ease potential stress or financial strain. 

At Scalzo, Zogby, & Wittig, Inc., we encourage you to call us for quotes on Backup of Sewers and Drain coverage. 

Until next time,
The SZW Team

Scalzo, Zogby & Wittig, Inc. is your New Hartford area independent insurance agent. Call us for a quote on insurance for your home, car, business, or life at 315.792.0000.