What Is Service Line Coverage?

If you are like most people, you probably fall into one of two categories. Either you are completely unaware that the maintenance of the service lines that run to your house is your responsibility or you are aware and as a result have purchased a home service line warranty.

Did you know that service line coverage can likely be added to your homeowner’s insurance? Rather than buying a separate warranty policy exclusively to cover your service lines, your homeowner’s insurance company can likely endorse this coverage onto your policy for much less than it would cost if you were to buy a separate policy. Before I get into the specifics of what is generally covered in the service line endorsement, let me give you a better idea of what I mean by “service line.”

Service lines generally fall into these categories:

• Telephone and cable lines
• Steam piping
• Drainage
• Public sewer piping/private septic
• Fuel lines
• Water disposal
• Public water lines/private well
• Power lines and electrical wiring

What makes this coverage so great, other than the inexpensive cost, is what it generally covers.

What is generally covered under the service line endorsement?

• Wear and tear (something almost universally excluded elsewhere)
• Rust or corrosion
• Mechanical breakdown
• Collapse from above ground weight
• Tree root invasion
• Freezing pipes/ground freeze
• External force from excavation
• Rodent damage

While this is not an exhaustive list, you can see that this endorsement provides a lot of value to your homeowner’s policy. Before you go out and purchase an expensive and sometimes limited-service line warranty policy, talk to your independent agent about adding this valuable coverage to your homeowner’s policy.