Understanding Water Backup Coverage
What is water backup coverage?
Water backup coverage is an optional endorsement that helps protect your home and personal property from sewage or sump pump backups. Standard homeowners insurance generally covers sudden and accidental water damage that originates in the home, like water damage from a burst pipe, but water that backs up through sewers or drains is usually excluded from coverage. To supplement that gap in coverage, you will want to add the water backup endorsement to your policy.
How does it work?
What is covered by water backup coverage?
​A standard water or sewer backup coverage endorsement would reimburse you up to policy limits for water damage to the structure of your home or personal property if it's discharged or overflows from a sewer or drain, a sump, sump pump or related equipment.
How much does it cost?
It always depends on the company, but you can usually add between $5,000 to $25,000 in water back up protection to your policy for $30 to $70 per year. This can vary quite a bit as many companies offer endorsement packages that might include this coverage.Talk with your agent for specifics.
How much coverage do you need?
This depends on your situation. A good rule of thumb is to consider how much it would cost to replace your flooring, furniture and personal belongings if they were damaged by a sewer or drain backup and then go from there.
Good to know:
Important to note that water backup coverage does not cover damage to the sump pump or plumbing.
Key Takeaways
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Water backup, or sewer backup, is an optional coverage that can be added to most homeowners policies.
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Water backup coverage helps protect you for damages to your home and personal property that stem from sewage or sump pump backups.
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Coverage can vary anywhere from $2,500 to $25,000 or more depending on your needs and carrier.
*The information on this page is intended to provide a general understanding of water backup coverage and is not intended to be a representation of exact policy coverages. Policy coverages and language can vary greatly between carriers, and location. For specifics, please consult with your agent or insurance carrier.