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Many people assume that buildings insurance is only there to cover the costs to repair damage to your house, but what many don’t realise is that the majority of policies also provide cover for damage that happens below ground to drainage systems such as septic tanks. There are only certain types of damage that are typically covered by buildings insurance policies, and whilst each policy can vary, we’ll outline here the types of septic tank damage which are usually covered – and those which aren’t!
A buildings insurance policy is generally there to cover you for the costs of repairing damage which was unforeseen and unexpected. Above ground, examples of this would be flood or fire damage. Below ground, and in the case of drainage systems such as septic tanks, it is a little less clear – not least of which because drainage systems are tucked away out of sight, and it can often be difficult to know what has caused them to stop working. It’s important to check your policy wording before taking it out if you have a septic tank, to make sure that you have the right cover in place – for example, some policies may exclude drainage systems if they are off the boundary of your property. Generally, you’ll find cover for septic tank damage under the section of your policy entitled `Accidental damage to underground services’. On some policies, cover for accidental damage is an optional extra, so it’s important to take this if you want to be covered for a damaged drainage system.
If you’re having septic tank problems, it’s important to first understand what’s caused the system to fail. A septic tank inspection is the first place to start. There are some things which your building insurance policy wouldn’t cover, the main ones being:
The types of damage which would usually be covered include the following, which are generally considered unforeseen and unexpected:
It’s important to remember that each buildings insurance policy is different, and the specific wording of the policy will determine exactly what you are or are not covered for. But it’s also important to remember that often, policy wording is open to interpretation, and different insurers may provide the same policy wording but have a different view on the same claim. Here at UKDP, we specialise in assisting property owners with resolving septic tank problems, by identifying whether the damage may be covered by buildings insurance and managing everything from start to finish. We combine technical drainage expertise with a thorough understanding of insurance policy wording. To find out today whether you might be covered for septic tank damage, get in touch with our friendly team here or call us on 0800 028 9903.
Sam's career prior to UKDP was spent in the marketing and service industries, so she is focused on making sure we look after our customers – and getting the UKDP message out there! Sam has overall responsibility for business operations and for delivering the best customer service we can.